KOCHI: Kochi Customs' Mini Cooper auction is once again in limbo. Although the auction scheduled for the second week of March has been postponed to April 8, it is reported that the sale will be stopped even then. The problem is the vehicle law.

This is the vehicle that was caught for trying to smuggle seven kilos of gold in a petrol tank through Kochi port. Customs has been trying to auction this red 2013 model left-hand drive car since 2018. It was included in the March auction following the intervention of the High Court.

The news that the luxury car was put up for sale for eight lakh rupees was followed by an influx of Cooper aspirants to the customs yard on Wellington Island. The e-auction is through the central government portal www.mstcecommerce.com. It will cost about six thousand rupees to register for the auction. Customs has not released the base price. Some miscreants had spread the word that the amount was eight lakhs. Two Maruti Swift cars confiscated by DRI and baggage not cleared from the port are also being auctioned.

Lefthand hurdle

The car does not have RC book and other papers. The basic document is the delivery note issued by Customs, which records the chassis and engine numbers for the bidders. This can be used to pay tax and take a new registration. However, Customs is in correspondence with the Department of Motor Vehicles seeking an explanation in the case of Cooper as there is a hurdle in the registration of left-hand drive vehicles. It is hinted that the lack of a decision on this is the main reason for excluding Cooper from the auction. Imported left-hand drive vehicles are often altered as right-hand drive by the companies themselves.