Gandhimathi v. The Addl.Chief Secretary To Government,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 28.06.2023 Coram THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.SUNDAR and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.SAKTHIVEL Gandhimathi .. Petitioner / Wife of detenu vs 1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government Home, Prohibition and Excise Department Secretariat Chennai - 600 009

2. Commissioner of Police Avadi City Office of the Commissioner of Police Goondas Section Avadi Chennai - 600 054

3. The Inspector of Police T-15, S.R.M.C Police Station Chennai

4. The Superintendent of Police Central Prison Puzhal, Chennai .. Respondents 1/9

Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for issuance of a writ of habeas corpus calling for the records of detention order made in BCDFGISSSV No.189/2022 dated 21.12.2022 passed by the Commissioner of Police, Avadi City, the second respondent herein and set aside the same and direct the respondents to produce the detenu before this Court and set the detenu Thiru.Arunkumar, son of Asaithambi, aged 29 years,now confined at Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai and set him at liberty.

For Petitioner :

Mr.N.Sudharsan For Respondents :

Mr.E.Raj Thilak, Additional Public Prosecutor

ORDER

[Order of the Court was made by M.SUNDAR, J.] Captioned 'Habeas Corpus Petition' ['HCP' for the sake of brevity] has been filed by mother of detenu assailing a 'preventive detention order dated 21.12.2022 bearing reference BCDFGISSSV No.189/2022' [hereinafter 'impugned detention order' for the sake of convenience and brevity]. To be noted, third respondent is the sponsoring authority and second respondent is the detaining authority as impugned detention order has been made by second respondent.

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2.

When the captioned HCP was listed for admission before this Court, proceedings/orders dated 29.03.2023 was made in the 'Admission Board' and the same reads as follows: 'Captioned Habeas Corpus Petition has been filed in this Court on 21.03.2023 inter alia assailing a detention order dated 21.12.2022 bearing reference BCDFGISSSV No.189/2022 made by 'second respondent' [hereinafter 'Detaining Authority' for the sake of convenience and clarity]. To be noted, third respondent is the Sponsoring Authority.

2. Mother of the detenu is the petitioner.

3. Learned counsel for petitioner submits that ground case qua the detenu is for alleged offences under Sections 8(c) read with 22(c) of 'the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985' [hereinafter 'NDPS Act' for the sake of convenience and clarity] in Crime No.479 of 2022 on the file of S.R.M.C. Police Station.

4. The aforementioned detention order has been made on the premise that the detenu is a 'Drug Offender' under Section 2(e) of 'The Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber law offenders, Drugoffenders, Forest-offenders, Goondas, Immoral traffic offenders, Sand-offenders, Sexual-offenders, Slum-grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982 (Tamil Nadu Act No.14 of 1982)' [hereinafter 'Act 14 of 1982' for the sake of convenience and clarity].

5. The detention order has been assailed inter alia on 3/9

the ground that grounds of detention in English version was not properly translated in Vernacular version which prevented the detenu from making an effective representation.

6. Prima facie case made out for admission. Admit. Issue Rule nisi returnable by four weeks.

7. Mr.R.Muniyapparaj, learned Additional Public Prosecutor, State of Tamil Nadu accepts notice for all respondents. List the captioned Habeas Corpus Petition accordingly. '

3.

The aforementioned proceedings/orders made in the 'Admission Board' captures short facts essential and imperative for appreciating this order and therefore without setting out the same again, we deem it appropriate to say that aforementioned proceedings shall be read as an integral part and parcel of this order.

4. There is no adverse case. The solitary case which is the sole substratum of the impugned preventive detention order is Crime No.479 of 2022 on the file of T-15, S.R.M.C Police Station for alleged offences under Sections 8(c) read with 22(c) of 'Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985' [hereinafter 'NDPS Act' for the sake of brevity and convenience]. Owing to the nature of the challenge to the impugned detention order, it is not necessary to delve into the factual matrix or be 4/9

detained further by facts.

5. Mr.N.Sudharsan, learned counsel on record for petitioner and Mr.E.Raj Thilak, learned State Additional Public Prosecutor for all respondents are before us.

6. Learned counsel for petitioner submits that 'live and proximate link' between the grounds of detention and purpose of detention has snapped as date of remand in the ground case is 24.08.2022 but the impugned detention order has been made only on 21.12.2022.

7. Mr.E.Raj Thilak, learned State Additional Public Prosecutor, submits to the contrary by saying that materials had to be collected and time was consumed for the same. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and nature of ground case, we find that this explanation of learned State Additional Public Prosecutor is unacceptable.

8. We remind ourselves of Sushanta Kumar Banik's case [Sushanta Kumar Banik Vs. State of Tripura & others reported in 2022 LiveLaw (SC) 813 : 2022 SCC OnLine SC 1333]. To be noted, Banik case law arose under 'Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and 5/9

Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988' [hereinafter 'PIT NDPS Act' for the sake of brevity] in Tirupura, wherein after considering the proposal by the Sponsoring Authority and after noticing the trajectory the matter took, Hon'ble Supreme Court held that the 'live and proximate link between grounds of detention and purpose of detention snapping' point should be examined on a case to case basis. Hon'ble Supreme Court has held in Banik case law that this point has two facets. One facet is 'unreasonable delay' and other facet is 'unexplained delay'. We find that the captioned matter falls under latter facet i.e., unexplained delay.

9. To be noted, Banik case has been respectfully followed by this Court in Gomathi Vs.The Principal Secretary to Government and others reported vide Neutral Citation of Madras High Court being 2023/MHC/334, Sadik Basha Yusuf Vs. The State of Tamil Nadu and others reported vide Neutral Citation of Madras High Court being 2023/MHC/733, Sangeetha Vs. The Secretary to the Government and others reported vide Neutral Citation of Madras High Court being 2023:MHC:1110, N.Anitha Vs. The Secretary to Government and others reported vide Neutral Citation of Madras High Court being 2023:MHC:1159 and a series of other orders in HCP cases. 6/9

10. Before concluding, we also remind ourselves that preventive detention is not a punishment and HCP is a high prerogative writ.

11. Ergo, the sequitur is, captioned HCP is allowed. Impugned detention order dated 21.12.2022 bearing reference BCDFGISSSV No.189/2022 made by the second respondent is set aside and the detenu Thiru.Arunkumar, aged 29 years, son of Thiru.Aasaithambi, is directed to be set at liberty forthwith, if not required in connection with any other case / cases. There shall be no order as to costs. (M.S.,J.) (R.S.V.,J.) 28.06.2023 Index : Yes gpa P.S: Registry to forthwith communicate this order to Jail authorities in Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai.

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To 1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government Home, Prohibition and Excise Department Secretariat Chennai - 600 009

2. Commissioner of Police Avadi City Office of the Commissioner of Police Goondas Section Avadi Chennai - 600 054

3. The Inspector of Police T-15, S.R.M.C Police Station Chennai

4. The Superintendent of Police Central Prison Puzhal, Chennai 5.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

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M.SUNDAR, J., and R.SAKTHIVEL , J., gpa 28.06.2023 9/9