Mohammed Iqbal Ahamed Mujahid vs. The Officer in Charge, Police Station, Dehiwala – CA PHC 0104/2020-2024

In the case between Mohammed Iqbal Ahamed Mujahid (Appellant-Petitioner) and the Officer in Charge, Police Station Dehiwala, Hon. Attorney General, and related complainant-respondents, the court addressed the issue of vehicle confiscation under the Animals Act for transporting cattle without a valid permit. It was held that the appellant’s evidence discharging the statutory burden of proving lack of knowledge or necessary precautions, as required by section 3A of the Animals Act, was sufficient. The holding reaffirmed the principle that the owner’s liability for confiscation turns on proof that the offence was committed with the owner’s knowledge or without due precautions, drawing parallels to analogous reasoning under the Forest Ordinance. The decision set aside the orders of the Magistr