Baskaran @ Bass v. State Of Tamil Nadu Rep.By Its
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 10.04.2026 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE ANITA SUMANTH and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SUNDER MOHAN Baskaran @ Bass, Male, aged 40 years, S/o. Kanniappan, No.66, 32nd Block, Ezhil Nagar, Kannagi Nagar, Okkiyam Thuraipakkam, Chennai - 600 097.
.. Petitioner vs 1.The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2.The Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai.
3.The Inspector of Police, S1, St.Thomas Mount Police Station, Chennai.
4.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai.
.. Respondents Prayer : Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Habeas Corpus to call for the entire records, relating to the petitioner's detention under Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982 1/5
vide detention order, dated 11.06.2025 on the file of the second respondent herein made in proceedings No.342/BBCDEFGISSSV/2025 and quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the respondents herein to produce the petitioner namely Baskaran @ Bass, aged 40 years, son of Kanniappan, before this Court and set him at liberty, now petitioner detained in Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai - 600 066. For Petitioner :
Mr.C.C.Chellappan For Respondents :
Mr.R.Muniyapparaj Additional Public Prosecutor assisted by Mr.M.Sylvester John
ORDER
(Made by Dr. ANITA SUMANTH, J.) One Baskaran @ Bass, S/o Kanniappan has been detained and retained in custody at Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai by order of detention dated 11.06.2025, prior to which, he was arrested on 24.05.2025. He has filed the present Habeas Corpus Petition seeking quash of the order of detention.
2. We have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondents.
3. While several grounds have been taken by the petitioner, what he stresses on before us is that there is no basis for the apprehension of 2/5
the detaining authority that the detenu would be enlarged on bail. In fact, as a fact, learned counsel for the petitioner confirms that the detenu has not moved any bail application.
4. The grounds of detention are silent as what the basis of his subjective satisfaction is. The booklet furnished to the detenu and placed before us contains, at page 43, an unsigned statement recorded under Section 180(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 from his wife indicating that a bail application would be moved.
5. That statement has absolutely no credibility, as it is unsigned and hence, we eschew the same. In any event and as we have already stated supra, even the detaining authority does not refer to the said statement. In such circumstances, the statement of the detaining authority that it is very likely that he would come out on bail has absolutely no basis.
6. In the absence of any material whatsoever to support the subjective satisfaction of the detaining authority that the detenu is likely to be released on bail, the order of detention stands vitiated.
7. In light of the aforesaid discussion, this Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the Detention Order passed by the second respondent in No.342/BCDFGISSSV/2025, dated 11.06.2025 is set aside.
8. The detenu, viz., Baskaran @ Bass, S/o. Kanniappan, aged 40 3/5
years, who is now confined in Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai, is hereby directed to be set at liberty forthwith unless his presence is required in connection with any other case.
[A.S.M, J.] [S.M, J.] 10.04.2026 Index:Yes/No sl Note : Issue Today To 1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2.The Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai.
3.The Inspector of Police, S1, St.Thomas Mount Police Station, Chennai.
4.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai.
5.The Joint Secretary, Law and Order Department, Secretariat, Chennai 6.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.
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DR. ANITA SUMANTH,J.
and SUNDER MOHAN,J.
sl H.C.P.No. 419 of 2026 10.04.2026 5/5