law: 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.