Delhi HC orders Return of ₹6‑Lakh 24K Gold Bangles to the Passenger

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Delhi HC orders Return of ₹6‑Lakh 24K Gold Bangles to the Passenger.

The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi, On July 8, 2025, in the case of Mubina v. Commissioner of Customs (W.P.(C) 9269/2025), has  ordered the Customs department to return two 24‑karat gold bangles—totalling 117 g and valued at  ₹6.47 lakh (Approx), seized and confiscated  from a Muslim woman returning from Umrah. The bench, led by Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Rajneesh K. Gupta, emphasised that wearing personal jewellery during religious pilgrimage is culturally normal, and its purity alone cannot justify detention under the Baggage Rules, 2016.

The Court found customs’ reliance on pre‑printed waivers of show‑cause notices and hearings as unlawful under Section 124 of the Customs Act, 1962 and observed that the  natural justice was not served. Citing the precedents of cases of  Pushpa Tolani (2017) and recent Delhi HC rulings (Amit Kumar, Makhinder Chopra), the High Court  reaffirmed that “personal jewellery genuinely worn” qualifies as duty‑exempt personal effects. 

Consequently, the Court quashed both confiscation and appeal orders, and directed the release of the bangles within two weeks, permitting adjustment of any warehousing charges against the pre‑deposit.

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