A.Monojkumar v. The Deputy Suprintendent Of Police
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 12.07.2024 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.S. RAMESH AND THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SUNDER MOHAN H.C.P.No.1347 of 2024 A.Manojkumar ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, The Office of the District Superintendent, Valapadi, Salem District.
2.The Inspector of Police, Kariyakoil Police Station, Salem District.
... Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, to direct the second respondent to produce the petitioner's wife M.Mageswari, aged about 26 years before this Court and set her at liberty.
For Petitioner : Mr.L.Rajendran For Respondents : Mr.A.Gokulakrishnan Additional Public Prosecutor
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by M.S.RAMESH, J.) When the matter came up for admission, though we were conscious of the fact that the present Habeas Corpus Petition cannot be sustained since the issue appears to be one of the matrimonial dispute and of a women who is a major has gone missing, however since it was stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition that the petitioner's brother-in-law had detained the petitioner's wife in order to grab her property, we were inclined to direct the respondent police to produce the petitioner's wife before us.
2. Today, the petitioner's wife was presented before us and when we interacted with her, she categorically stated that she had left the petitioner on her own will and accord since he had been torturing her under the influence of alcohol and has also caused bodily harm to her.
She further expressed that she does not intend to live with the petitioner and that she is contended to be in the care and custody of her brother with whom she is now residing. From the statements made by the petitioner's wife, it is apparent that she has left the petitioner owing to the cruelty meted out by him towards his wife. When a major woman on her own free will and accord has chosen to leave her matrimonial house and live with her brother, the said custody cannot be termed to be illegal.
3. The consequential issue that arises is as to whether Article 226 of the Constitution of India can be invoked for issuance of a Writ in the nature of Habeas Corpus, when the aspect of "illegal detention" is conspicuously absent.
4. A Writ in the nature of Habeas Corpus is a prerogative Writ by virtue of which the cause and validity of detention of a person are investigated by a summary procedure. There are certain basic principles for assuming jurisdiction while dealing with a Writ of Habeas Corpus.
5. When an authority holding custody of the detenu, fails to satisfy the Court with regard to the deprivation of his personal liberty, then a Writ of Habeas Corpus will be issued to set the alleged detenu at liberty. However, when the authority satisfies the Court that the detention was through established procedure of law and such detention being legal, then in such cases, a Writ of Habeas Corpus will not be issued. These situations usually arise in cases of preventive detention.
6. In cases of illegal detention of someone, at the behest of another person and the detenu is deprived of his/her liberty, a Writ of Habeas Corpus could be issued to set forth the detenu at liberty. In such nonstatutory cases, this Court may direct the person who has detained another person, to produce the latter before the Court, so as to enable the Court to know on what ground he/she has been detained. On being satisfied that a person, who is a major by age, has been detained against his/her choice or willingness and has been deprived of his/her personal liberty, the Court may then subject him/her at liberty.
7. In the case of 'Soni Gerry Vs. Gerry Douglas' reported in '(2018) 2 SCC 197', the Hon'ble Supreme Court, while dealing with a case where the daughter of the petitioner therein, who was a major by age, had expressed her desire to reside in Kuwait, where she was pursuing her education, it was observed thus:- "9............ She has, without any hesitation, clearly stated that she intends to go back to Kuwait to pursue her career. In such a situation, we are of the considered opinion that as a major, she is entitled to exercise her choice and freedom and the Court cannot get into the aspect whether she has been forced by the father or not. There may be ample reasons on her behalf to go back to her father in Kuwait, but we are not concerned with her reasons. What she has stated before the Court, that alone matters and that is the heart of the reasoning for this Court, which keeps all controversies at bay.
10. It needs no special emphasis to state that attaining the age of majority in an individual's life has its own significance. She/He is entitled to make her/his choice. The courts cannot, as long as the choice remains, assume the role of parens patriae. The daughter is entitled to enjoy her freedom as the
law permits and the court should not assume the role of a super guardian being moved by any kind of sentiment of the mother or the egotism of the father. We say so without any reservation."
8. In the case of 'Mohd. Ikram Hussain Vs. State of U.P.' reported in 'AIR 1964 SC 1625', it was observed that a Writ of Habeas Corpus is a Writ of right and not a Writ of course and may be granted only on reasonable grounds or probable cause being shown. In 'Kanu Sanyal Vs. District Magistrate, Darjeeling' reported in '(1973) 2 SCC 674', the Hon'ble Supreme Court held that the object of a Writ of Habeas Corpus is to secure release of a person, who is illegally restrained of his liberty.
9. The exercise of the extraordinary jurisdiction for issuance of a Writ of Habeas Corpus would, therefore, be seen to be dependent on the jurisdictional fact that the applicant establishes a prima facie case that the detention is unlawful. It is only where the aforementioned jurisdictional fact is established that the applicant becomes entitled to a Writ, as of right, as held in the case of 'Rajeswari Chandrasekar
Ganesh Vs. State of Tamil Nadu and Others' reported in '(2022) SCC OnLine SC 885'. Thus, the petition seeking for such a relief should prima facie disclose that a person is under illegal detention by someone and only on satisfaction of the same, the Court will proceed to issue a Writ for production of the person from such illegal detention.
10. If that be so, we are unable to appreciate the conduct on the part of the petitioner in having invoked Article 226 of the Constitution of India, which Habeas Corpus Petition is apparently not maintainable.
11. The petitioner has abused the due process of law, more particularly, when an alternate remedy under Section 482 of Code of Criminal Procedure is also available to him. Thus, we are of the view that cost could be imposed on the petitioner for having abused the due process of law.
12. It would be pertinent to point out that when we interacted with the petitioner's wife, she expressed that she was in severe financial crisis
and that owing to the present HCP, she has been forced to come to Chennai at her own cost which has caused her more prejudice. In the light of the statement made, we are inclined to impose cost on the petitioner, which can be directed to be paid to his wife / detenue.
13. In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition stands dismissed with a cost of Rs.10,000/-, which amount shall be paid by the petitioner to the detenue / the wife of the petitioner, on or before 22.07.2024. Post the matter on 29.07.2024 under the caption 'for reporting compliance'.
[M.S.R., J] [S.M., J] 12.07.2024 Index: Yes/No Internet:Yes/No Anu
To 1.The Deputy Superintendent of Police, The Office of the District Superintendent, Valapadi, Salem District.
2.The Inspector of Police, Kariyakoil Police Station, Salem District.
3.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.
M.S.RAMESH, J.
and SUNDER MOHAN , J.
Anu H.C.P.No.1347 of 2024 12.07.2024