D.Sudha v. The Secretary To The

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 26.10.2016

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.JAICHANDREN AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE S.BASKARAN H.C.P.NO.977 OF 2016 D.Sudha ..

Petitioner Vs.

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

2.The Commissioner of Police Greater Chennai Police.

..

Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus calling for the records in connection with the order of detention passed by the second respondent 16.04.2015 in Memo No.443/BCDFGISSSV/2016 against the petitioner's son Dheen Sudhan, Male aged 24 years, S/o. Dinakaran, who is confined at Central Prison, Puzhal II, Chennai and set aside the same and direct the respondents to produce the detenu before this Court and set him at liberty.

For Petitioner :

Mr.S.Senthilvel For Respondents : Mr.V.M.R.Rajentren Additional Public Prosecutor

O R D E R

[Order of the Court was made by M.JAICHANDREN, J.] This Habeas Corpus Petition has been filed by the mother of the detenu namely Dheen Sudhan, aged 24 years, Son of Dinakaran, to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, to call for the records, in Detention Order No.443/BCDFGISSSV/2016, dated 16.04.2016, passed by

the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, the second respondent herein, detaining the detenu, under Section 3(1) of 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 14/1982), branding him as a "Goonda", and to quash the same and to direct the respondents to produce the body and person of the detenu, who is now detained in Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai and set him at liberty.

2. Even though the learned counsel for the petitioner raised many grounds in assailing the impugned order of detention in the petition, he confined his arguments only to the ground of delay in considering the representation of the detenu. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, the representation of the detenu, has been received by the Government, on 04.05.2016, and the remarks have been called for from the detaining authority, on 05.05.2016. However, the remarks have been received by the Government only on 01.06.2016, after a delay of 27 days. Thereafter, the file was dealt with by the Under Secretary and Deputy Secretary on 01.06.2016 However, the file was dealt with by the Minister concerned on 04.06.2016 and the rejection letter was communicated to the detenu on 06.06.2016.

Here again there is a delay of 3 days, excluding 2 intervening holidays. There is delay at at different stages while considering the representation of the detenu. The unexplained delay in considering the representation of the detenu vitiates the detention order. In support of his contention, the learned counsel for the petitioner relied on the judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court in RAJAMMAL VS. STATE OF TAMIL NADU reported in [1999 (1) SCC 417].

3. Resisting the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner, the learned Additional Public Prosecutor had submitted that the impugned detention order has been passed on cogent and sufficient materials and there is no illegality or infirmity in the impugned order of detention. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor had further submitted that there was no deliberate delay on the part of the authorities concerned to consider and dispose of the representation of the detenu. It is contended that such a delay is not fatal to the impugned detention order, as the authorities concerned are dealing with the file right from the date of receipt of the representation and therefore, he prayed for dismissal of the petition.

4. We have considered the rival submissions carefully with regard to facts and citation and perused the materials available on record.

5. As per the Proforma submitted by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, the representation of the detenu, has been

received by the Government, on 04.05.2016, and the remarks have been called for from the detaining authority, on 05.05.2016. However, the remarks have been received by the Government only on 01.06.2016, after a delay of 27 days. Thereafter, the file was dealt with by the Under Secretary and Deputy Secretary on 01.06.2016 However, the file was dealt with by the Minister concerned on 04.06.2016 and the rejection letter was communicated to the detenu on 06.06.2016. Even if we give concession to the intervening holidays, including Government holidays, namely 07.05.2016, 08.05.2016, 14.05.2016, 15.05.2016, 21.05.2016, 22.05.2016, 28.05.2016 and 29.05.2016, still there is a delay of 18 days, which remain unexplained.

6. It is trite law that the representation should be very expeditiously considered and disposed of with a sense of urgency and without avoidable delay. Any unexplained delay in the disposal of the representation would be a breach of the constitutional imperative and it would render the continued detention impermissible and illegal. From the records produced, we find that no acceptable explanation has been offered for the delay of 18 days. Therefore, we have to hold that the delay has vitiated further detention of the detenu.

7. In the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Rajammal's case (cited supra), it has been held as follows: "It is a constitutional obligation of the Government to consider the representation forwarded by the detenu without any delay. Though no period is prescribed by Article 22 of the Constitution for the decision to be taken on the representation, the words "as soon as may be " in clause (5) of Article 22 convey the message that the representation should be considered and disposed of at the earliest."

8. As per the dictum laid down by the Supreme Court in above cited Rajammal's case, number of days of delay is immaterial and what is to be considered is whether the delay caused has been properly explained by the authorities concerned. But, here 18 days delay has not been properly explained at all.

9. Further, in a decision in Ummu Sabeena Vs. State of Kerala reported in (2011) 10 SCC 781, the Supreme Court has held that the history of personal liberty, as is well known, is a history of insistence on procedural safeguards. The expression 'as soon as may be', in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India clearly shows the concern of the makers of the Constitution that the representation, made on behalf of the detenu, should be considered and disposed of with a sense of urgency and without any avoidable delay.

10. In the light of the above fact and law, we have no hesitation in quashing the order of detention on the ground of delay on the part of the Government in disposing of the representation of the detenu.

11. Accordingly, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the detention order dated 16.04.2016, passed by the second respondent is quashed. The detenu is directed to be set at liberty, forthwith, unless his presence is required in connection with any other case.

TK Sd/- Assistant Registrar (CS- ) /TRUE COPY/ Sub-Assistant Registrar To 1.The Secretary to Government Government of Tamil Nadu Home, Prohibition and Excise Department Fort St. George, Chennai - 600 009.

2.The Commissioner of Police Greater Chennai Police Chennai - 600 007.

3.The Public Prosecutor High Court of Madras Chennai.

4.The Superintendent, central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai - 66 5.The Joint Secretary to Government, Public (Law & Order) Fort St. George, Chennai-9.

H.C.P. NO.977 OF 2016 SSI MSI 09/12/2016