Tmt. Usha Senthil @ v. The Commissioner Of Police
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 03.02.2016
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE S.TAMILVANAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE D.HARIPARANTHAMAN H.C.P.No.1887 of 2015 Usha Senthil @ Usha Ranjani Senthil ..Petitioner Vs.
1.The Commissioner of Police, Office of the Commissioner of Police, Egmore,Chennai.
2.The Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Chief Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.
3.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai.
.. Respondents Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus calling for the records pertaining to the order of detention passed by the first respondent herein, made in No.553/BCDFGISSSV/2015 dated 17.07.2015 and to set aside the same and directing the third respondent to produce the body of the detenu Senthilkumar @ Thaatha Senthil, son of Raman Nadar, now confined in Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai, before this Court and thereby setting him at liberty forthwith.
For Petitioner : Mr.S.Sasikumar For Respondents : Mr.A.N.Thambidurai
O R D E R
[Order of the Court was made by S.TAMILVANAN, J.] The petitioner herein is the detenu has filed this petition challenging the order of detention passed by the first
respondent in No.553/BCDFGISSSV/2015 dated 17.07.2015, branding him as a "GOONDA" under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber Law offenders, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Slum Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982 [Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982].
2.Even though the learned counsel for the petitioner raised many grounds in assailing the impugned order of detention in the petition, he confined his arguments only to the ground of delay in considering the representation of the detenu. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, the representation of the detenu, has been received by the Government on 05.08.2015 and remarks have been called for from the detaining authority on the same day, i.e. on 05.08.2015; but, the remarks have been received by the Government only on 12.08.2015, after a delay of 8 days. He adds that the file was dealt with by the Minister concerned on 14.08.2015 and the rejection letter was prepared on 14.08.2015 and communicated to the detenu on 17.08.2015.
It is his further submission that as per the Proforma submitted by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, there were 2 intervening holidays and even after giving concession as to the intervening holidays, still there is a delay of 5 days, which remains unexplained. The unexplained delay in considering the representation of the detenu vitiates the detention order. In support of his contention, the learned counsel for the petitioner relied on the judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court in Rajammal Vs. State of Tamil Nadu, reported in (1999) 1 SCC 417. 3.Resisting the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Additional Public Prosecutor submitted that the Government received the representation on 05.08.2015 and that was forwarded to the Detaining Authority, calling for remarks on 05.08.
2015 and remarks were received by the Government on 12.08.2015 and ultimately, the representation was considered and rejected on 14.08.2015 and the result of the consideration was communicated to the detenu on 17.08.2015. Therefore, according to the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, there is no inordinate delay in considering the representation of the detenu and therefore, he prayed for dismissal of the petition.
4.We have considered the rival submissions carefully with regard to facts and citation and perused the materials available on record.
5.As per the Proforma submitted by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, on the representation of the detenu was received by the Government on 05.08.2015 and remarks have been called for from the detaining authority on 05.08.2015. But, remarks have been received by the Government only on 12.08.2015,
i.e., after a delay of 7 days and the case of the detenu was dealt with by the Minister concerned on 14.08.2015 and the same was rejected on the same day, i.e., on 14.08.2015. From the above, it is clear that in between 05.08.2015 and 12.08.2015, [i.e., the intermittent days between the remarks called for and the remarks received] there is a delay of 7 days. Even if we give concession to the 2 intervening holidays, namely 08.08.2015 and 09.08.2015, still there is a delay of 5 days, which remain unexplained.
6.It is trite law that the representation should be very expeditiously considered and disposed of with a sense of urgency and without avoidable delay. Any unexplained delay in the disposal of the representation would be a breach of the constitutional imperative and it would render the continued detention impermissible and illegal. From the records produced, we find that no acceptable explanation has been offered for the delay of 5 days. Therefore, we have to hold that the delay has vitiated further detention of the detenu.
7.In the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Rajammal's case (cited supra), it has been held as follows: "It is a constitutional obligation of the Government to consider the representation forwarded by the detenu without any delay. Though no period is prescribed by Article 22 of the Constitution for the decision to be taken on the representation, the words "as soon as may be " in clause (5) of Article 22 convey the message that the representation should be considered and disposed of at the earliest."
8.As per the dictum laid down by the Supreme Court in above cited Rajammal's case, number of days of delay is immaterial and what is to be considered is whether the delay caused has been properly explained by the authorities concerned. But, here 5 days delay has not been properly explained at all. 9.Further, in a recent decision in Ummu Sabeena vs. State of Kerala - 2011 STPL (Web) 999 SC, the Supreme Court has held that the history of personal liberty, as is well known, is a history of insistence on procedural safeguards. The expression 'as soon as may be', in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India clearly shows the concern of the makers of the Constitution that the representation, made on behalf of the detenu, should be considered and disposed of with a sense of urgency and without any avoidable delay.
10.In the light of the above fact and law, we have no hesitation in quashing the order of detention on the ground of delay on the part of the Government in disposing of the representation of the detenu.
11.Accordingly, the habeas corpus petition is allowed and the detention order dated 17.07.2015, passed by the first respondent is quashed. The detenu is directed to be set at liberty, forthwith, unless his presence is required in connection with any other case.
Sd/- Assistant Registrar(CS IV) //True Copy// Sub Assistant Registrar To 1.The Commissioner of Police, Office of the Commissioner of Police, Egmore,Chennai.
2.The Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Chief Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.
3.The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras, Chennai.
4.The Superintendent of Central Prison, Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai.
5.The Joint Secretary to Government, Public Law & Order, Chennai-9.
H.C.P.No.1887 of 2015 rsy(CO) srg(17/02/2016)