To cut the harassment faced by victims of accidents to get their vehicles released from police stations, the Delhi Police has decided to expedite the process of returning the vehicles.

Earlier, the vehicles would remain in the police station as they were part of case property. Now, however, the police plan to release the vehicle immediately after checking antecedents of the person (victim) on the spot, verification of documents and taking a surety bond from the victim.

The Commissioner of Police Y S Dadwal also ordered that all police stations should release vehicles belonging to accident victims in past cases.

“The victim, despite being not guilty of the accident, had to wait for months to get their vehicles. Now, after clicking photographs of the vehicle, verification of registration and ownership details and taking a surety bond from the victim/complainant, we would immediately hand over the vehicle,” said a senior officer.

Following an accident the police take both the vehicles — of the accused and the victim — into its possession when FIR is filed. The vehicle of victim is released only after giving an application in the court, which takes a lot of time.

The move came after an accident victim, Arun Handa, had filed a criminal writ petition last year, after his motorcycle was taken into possession at the Sarojini Nagar police station when a bus hit him. Handa was asked to get the vehicle released from the court of Metropolitan Magistrate.

In his petition, Handa asked when a vehicle hits somebody and his or her vehicle is damaged and taken to police station, then why it could not be returned to the victim after checking all the documents. The Delhi High Court then stated that in all accident cases, police would release the vehicles of victim after taking a surety bond and whenever it is needed, he would personally produce it (the vehicle) in the court and would not sell it.

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