M.Kavitha v. The Secretary To Government
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 30.07.2024 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.S. RAMESH AND THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SUNDER MOHAN H.C.P.No.1022 of 2024 M.Kavitha ... Petitioner/wife of the detenue Vs.
1.The Secretary to Government, State of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2.The Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai-600 007.
3.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Puzhal.
4.The Inspector of Police (L&O), R-11, Ramapuram Police Station, Chennai-600 083.
... Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, calling for the records in connection with the order of detention passed by the second respondent dated 12.04.2024
in vide TPDA 5581 bearing order No.346/BCDFGISSSV/2024-Detenue Manokaran, aged 42 years, son of Sundaram who is confined at Central Prison, Puzhal as remand prisoner in Cr.No.141/2024 under the Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982 and set aside the same and direct the second respondent to produce the detenue before this Court and set him at liberty. For Petitioner : Mr.P.Anbarasan For Respondents : Mr.A.Gokulakrishnan Additional Public Prosecutor
ORDER
M.S.RAMESH, J.
AND SUNDER MOHAN , J.
The petitioner herein, who is the wife of the detenu namely Manokaran, aged 42 years, son of Sundaram, confined at Central Prison, Puzhal, has come forward with this petition challenging the detention order passed by the second respondent dated 12.04.2024 slapped on her husband, branding him as "Immoral Traffic Offender" 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. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, as well as the learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents.
3. Though the learned counsel for the petitioner has raised several other grounds to assail the order of detention, he has mainly focused his argument on the ground that the entries in English in the prayer for remand has not been translated in vernacular language. This deprived the detenu from making effective representation. Therefore, on the sole ground, the detention order is liable to be quashed.
4. On perusal of the documents available on record, particularly in Page No.187 of Volume - I of the booklet, this Court finds a copy of the prayer for remand, in which the entries in English has not been translated in vernacular version. The detenue, admittedly is not conversant in English. Therefore, the non-furnishing of the translated version has deprived the detenue of making effective representation and hence the Detention Order is vitiated.
5. In this context, it is useful to refer to the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in 'Powanammal Vs. State of Tamil Nadu' reported in '(1999) 2 SCC 413'. The Hon'ble Supreme Court, after discussing the safeguards embodied in Article 22[5] of the Constitution, observed that the detenu should be afforded an opportunity of making representation effectively against the Detention Order and that, the failure to supply every material in the language which can be understood by the detenu, is imperative. In the said context, the Hon'ble Supreme Court has held in Paragraphs 9 and 16 {as in SCC journal} as follows: "9.However, this Court has maintained a distinction between a document which has been relied upon by the detaining authority in the grounds of detention and a document which finds a mere reference in the grounds of detention.
Whereas the non-supply of a copy of the document relied upon in the grounds of detention has been held to be fatal to continued detention, the detenu need not show that any prejudice is caused to him.
grounds and of being afforded the opportunity of making an effective representation against the order. But it would not be so where the document merely finds a reference in the order of detention or among the grounds thereof. In such a case, the detenu's complaint of non-supply of document has to be supported by prejudice caused to him in making an effective representation. What applies to a document would equally apply to furnishing a translated copy of the document in the language known to and understood by the detenu, should the document be in a different language.
.....
16.For the above reasons, in our view, the non-supply of the Tamil version of the English document, on the facts and in the circumstances, renders her continued detention illegal. We, therefore, direct that the detenue be set free forthwith unless she is required to be detained in any other case. The appeal is accordingly allowed."
6. In view of the ratio laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court and in view of the aforesaid facts, this Court is of the view that the detention
order is liable to be quashed.
7. Hence, for the aforesaid reasons, the detention order passed by the second respondent on 12.04.2024 in Memo No.346/BCDFGISSSV/2024, is hereby set aside and the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed. The detenu viz., Manokaran, aged 42 years, son of Sundaram, confined at Central Prison, Puzhal, is directed to be set at liberty forthwith, unless he is required in connection with any other case. [M.S.R., J] [S.M., J] 30.07.2024 Index: Yes/No Internet:Yes/No Anu Note :- Registry shall forthwith return the booklet containing the materials, on which, the Detaining Authority has placed reliance, to the petitioner/counsel for the petitioner with due acknowledgment.
M.S.RAMESH, J.
and SUNDER MOHAN , J.
Anu To 1.The Secretary to Government, State of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.
2.The Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai-600 007.
3.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Puzhal.
4.The Inspector of Police (L&O), R-11, Ramapuram Police Station, Chennai-600 083.
5.The Joint Secretary, Law and Order Department, Secretariat, Chennai 6.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.
H.C.P.No.1022 of 2024 30.07.2024