Selvi v. Govt. Of Tamil Nadu,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 23.05.2016

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE G.CHOCKALINGAM and THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE M.V.MURALIDARAN H.C.P.No. 220 of 2016 Selvi ..

Petitioner vs.

1. Government of Tamil Nadu rep. by its Principal Secretary, Home, Prohibition and Excise (XVI) Department, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009

2. The Commissioner of Police Coimbatore District .. Respondents Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, calling for the records in C.No.02/G/IS/2016 dated 11.01.2016 on the file of the 2nd respondent herein and quash the same and direct the respondents herein to produce the body of the petitioner's son G.Murugan @ Gundu Murugan, aged 32 years, now confined in Central Prison, Coimbatore and set him at liberty forthwith. For Petitioner : Mr. R.Subhadra Devi For Respondents : Mr.M.Maharaja Addl. Public Prosecutor

O R D E R

[Order of the Court was made by G.CHOCKALINGAM, J.] Challenge is made to the order of detention passed by the second respondent vide Proceedings C.No.02/G/IS/2016 dated 11.01.2016, whereby the detenu/the son of the petitioner, by name, G.Murugan @ Gundu Murugan, aged 32 years, son of Gopal, was branded as a "Goonda" 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 [Tamilnadu Act 14 of 1982].

2.Though many grounds have been raised in the petition, Ms.R.Subhadra Devi, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, confines her argument only in respect of nonapplication of mind on the part of the detaining authority in passing the order of detention.

3.Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that Page Nos. 33, 34 and 55 and certain other pages in the booklet furnished to the detenu are illegible and could not be read at all. This illegible copies would deprive the detenu of making effective representation to the authorities against the order of detention. Thus, the detention order is vitiated on the ground and the same is liable to be quashed. 4.Per contra, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor would submit that the order of detention has been passed on cogent and sufficient materials and the same cannot be interfered with at the instance of the petitioner. Therefore, he submits that the Habeas Corpus Petition does not merit any consideration and the same is liable to be dismissed.

5.We have heard the learned counsel for both sides with regard to the facts.

6.A perusal of the booklet supplied to the detenu would show that the copies of documents referred and relied upon and referred to by the Detaining Authority, in particular, Page Nos. 33, 34 and 55 etc., are illegible and are totally unreadable. This has resulted in the detenu being deprived of making an effective representation. Therefore, the detention order is vitiated and liable to be quashed on this ground alone.

7. It is a trite law that personal liberty protected under Article 21 is so sacrosanct and so high in the scale of Constitutional values that it is the obligation of the detaining authority to show that the impugned detention meticulously accords with the procedure established by law. Preventive detention is preventive and not punitive. When ordinary law of the land is sufficient to deal with, taking recourse to the preventive detention law is illegal.

8. In the light of the above facts and law, we have no hesitation in quashing the order of detention on the above mentioned ground.

9. Accordingly, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the impugned detention order passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu is directed to be released forthwith unless his presence is required in connection with any other case.

Sd/- Assistant Registrar //True Copy// Sub Assistant Registrar To

1. Principal Secretary, Home, Prohibition, and Excise (XVI) Department, Government of TamilNadu, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009

2. The Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore District.

3. The Superintendent, Central Prison, Coimbatore.

4. The Joint Secretary to Government, Public (Law & Order), Fort St.George, Chennai-9.

5. The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

H.C.P.No. 220 of 2016 rsy[co] srg 30/05/2016