(1) As soon as may be after the property is taken into his custody under section 9, the local officer shall publish a notice in such manner as may be prescribed, calling upon the persons who may have any claim to such property to prefer their claims to such property in the prescribed form within three months from the date of publication of the notice.
Disposal by local officer of property in certain cases.
Procedure for declaring property to be escheat or bona vacantia 6 [Act No. 35 of 1974]
(2) If no claim is preferred within the said period of three months, the local officer shall declare the property in respect of which the notice is published under sub-section
(1) to be an escheat or a bona vacantia, as the case may be, and dispose it of in such manner as may be prescribed.
(3) (a) If any person prefers a claim within the said period of three months, the local officer shall refer the claim to the court for its decision as to whether or not the person making the claim is entitled to the property; and the court shall, after giving a notice to the local officer and to the claimant, decide the reference, as if it were a suit;
(b) Where the court decides that the property taken into custody under section 9 or any part thereof rightfully belongs to the claimant, the local officer shall deliver the same to him; and where the court decides that it does not belong to the claimant’ the court shall declare the property to be an escheat or a bona vacantia as the case may be.
12. As soon as a declaration is made by the local officer under sub-section (2) of section II or by the court under clause (b) of sub-section (3) of that section, the local officer shall publish a notification thereof in the 4Telangana Gazette and in a local newspaper of the district where the property is situated or lies, and shall also cause an announcement of the declaration to be made by beat of drum in the village in which the property is situated or lies.
13. Notwithstanding anything in this Act, no immovable property which is declared escheat or bona vacantia shall ordinarily be alienated by sale or grant until it has been in the possession of the Government for twelve years.
4. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, Dated 01.06.2016.
Publication of declaration.
Immovable property escheated to Government not to be sold until twelve years after such escheat.
[Act No.35 of 1974] 7
CHAPTER-IV MOVABLE PROPERTY FOUND IN A PUBLIC PLACE.