Railways Act, 1989
83. Lien for freight or any other sum due.
(1) If the consignor, the consignee or the endorsee fails to pay
on demand any freight or other charges due from him in respect of any
consignment, the railway administration may detain such consignment or part
thereof or, if such consignment is delivered, it may detain any other
consignment of such person which is in, or thereafter comes into, its
possession.
(2) The railway administration may, if the consignment detained
under sub-section (1) is-
(a) perishable in nature, sell at once; or
(b) not perishable in nature, sell, by public
auction, such consignment or part thereof, as may be necessary to realize a sum
equal to the freight or other charges :
Provided that where a railway administration for reasons
to be recorded in writing is of the opinion that it is not expedient to hold
the auction, such consignment or part thereof may be sold in such manner as may
be prescribed.
(3) The railway administration shall give a notice of not less
than seven days of the public auction under clause (b) of sub-section (2) in
one or more local newspapers or where there are no such newspapers in such
manner as may be prescribed.
(4) The railway administration may, out of the sale proceeds
received under sub-section (2), retain a sum equal to the freight and other
charges including expenses for the sale due to it and the surplus of such
proceeds and the part of the consignment, if any, shall be rendered to the
person entitled thereto.