Renuka, Aged 50 Years v. The State Of Tamil Nadu
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 28.11.2018
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE Mr. JUSTICE C.T.SELVAM AND THE HONOURABLE Mrs. JUSTICE S.RAMATHILAGAM H.C.P.No.1745 of 2018 Renuka
...Petitioner
-Vs1.The State of Tamil Nadu, rep. by its Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The District Collector & District Magistrate, O/o. Collector's Office, Coimbatore - 641 018.
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, to call for the records, relating to the petitioner's husband detention under Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982 vide detention order, dated 10.08.2018 on the file of the second respondent herein made in proceedings Memo Cr.M.P.No.13/G/2018/E1, quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the respondents herein to produce the petitioner's husband namely Premkumar, S/o.Velusamy, aged 26 years before this Hon'ble High Court and set the petitioner's husband at liberty from detention, now the petitioner's husband detained at Central Prison, Coimbatore. For Petitioner : M/s.W.Camyles Gandhi For Respondents: Mr.R.Prathap Kumar Additional Public Prosecutor
ORDER
[Order of the Court was made by C.T.SELVAM, J.] The petitioner is the wife of the detenu herein, viz. Premkumar, Son of Velusamy, aged 26 years. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in Cr.M.P.No:
13/G/2018/E1, dated 10.08.2018, holding him to be a "GOONDA", as contemplated under Section 2(f) of 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). The said order is under challenge in this Habeas Corpus Petition.
2. The detenu has come to adverse notice in the following cases:- S.No.
Police Station & Crime No.
Section of Law 1.
Coimbatore District, Pollachi West Police Station Crime No.168/2014 dated 29.06.2014 Under sections 147, 148, 364, 342 & 302 Indian Penal Code.
2.
Coimbatore District, Pollachi Bazaar Police Station Crime No.138/2017 dated 28.06.2017 Under Section 279, 337 Indian Penal Code The ground case has been registered against the detenu on the file of the Pollachi Town East Police Station in Crime No.269/2018 for offences u/s 341, 294(b), 332, 506(ii), 307 IPC. The detention order has been passed by second respondent in Cr.M.P.No: 13/G/2018/E1 on 10.08.2018.
3. We have heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents. We have also perused the records produced by the Detaining Authority.
4. Though several grounds have been raised in the Habeas Corpus Petition, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would mainly focus his argument on the ground that there is gross violation of procedural safeguards, which would vitiate the detention. The learned counsel, by placing authorities, submitted that the representation made by the petitioner was not considered on time and there was an inordinate and unexplained delay.
5. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the Habeas Corpus Petition. He would submit that though there was delay in considering the representation, on that score alone, the impugned detention order cannot be quashed. According to the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, no prejudice has been caused to the detenu and thus, there is no violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution of India.
6. The Detention Order in question was passed on 10.08.2018. The petitioner made a representation, dated 23.08.2018 and the same was received on 06.09.2018. Thereafter, remarks were called for by the Government from the Detaining Authority on the same day. The remarks were duly received on 20.09.2018. Thereafter, the Government considered the matter and passed the order rejecting the petitioner's representation on 03.10.2018.
7. It is the contention of the petitioner that there was an inordinate delay of 14 days in submitting the remarks by the Detaining Authority, of which 4 days were Saturdays and Sundays and hence there was a delay of 10 days in submitting the remarks. Thereafter, there was yet another delay of 13 days in considering the representation, of which 4 days were Saturday, Sunday and hence there was a delay of 9 days in considering representation.
8. In Rekha vs. State of Tamil Nadu, reported in 2011
(5) SCC 244, the Honourable Supreme Court has held that the procedural safeguards are required to be zealously watched and enforced by the Courts of law and their rigour cannot be allowed to be diluted on the basis of the nature of the alleged activities undertaken by the detenu.
9. In Sumaiya vs. The Secretary to Government, reported in 2007 (2) MWN (Cr.) 145, a Division Bench of this Court has held that the unexplained delay of three days in disposal of the representation made on behalf of the detenu would be sufficient to set aside the order of detention.
10.In Tara Chand vs. State of Rajasthan and others, reported in 1980 (2) SCC 321, the Honourable Supreme Court has held that any inordinate and unexplained delay on the part of the Government in considering the representation renders the very detention illegal.
11. In the subject case, admittedly, there is an inordinate and unexplained delay of 10 days in submitting the remarks by the Detaining Authority and 9 days in considering the representation. The impugned detention order is, therefore, liable to be quashed.
12. In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the order of detention in Cr.M.P.No: 13/G/2018/E1, dated 10.08.2018, passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, namely Premkumar, Son of Velusamy, aged 26 years, is directed to be released forthwith unless his detention is required in connection with any other case.
pds Sd/- Deputy Registrar //True Copy// Sub Assistant Registrar To:
1.The Secretary to the Government, Home Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The District Collector & District Magistrate, O/o. Collector's Office, Coimbatore - 641 018.
3.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Coimbatore.
4.The Joint Secretary, Public (Law and order) Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.
5.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.
H.C.P.No.1745 of 2018 kak(26/12/2018)