Periyanayagi v. The Secretary To The Government,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 13.02.2025 CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.S. RAMESH AND THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE N.SENTHILKUMAR H.C.P.No.2982 of 2024 PERIYANAYAGI ... Petitioner/sister of the detenu Vs.

1. The Secretary To The Government, Home Prohibition And Excise Department Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.

2.The District Collector And District Magistrate Of Cuddalore District, Cuddalore. 3.The Superintendent Of Police, Cuddalore District, Cuddalore.

4.The Superintendent Of Prison, Central Prison Cuddalore District.

5.The Inspector Of Police, Virudhachalam All Women Police Station, Cuddalore District.

... Respondents

PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, to call for the records in Connection with the order of Detention passed by the second respondent dated 29.10.204 in C3/D.O.No.89 of 2024 against the petitioner's brother, Uthirakumaran, male, aged 46 years, s/o.Thangavel, who is Confined at Central Prison, Cuddalore and set aside the same and direct the respondents to produce the detenue before the Honble Court and set him at Liberty. For Petitioner : Mr.D.Balaji For Respondents : Mr.R.Muniyapparaj Additional Public Prosecutor assisted by Mr.M.Sylvester John

ORDER

M.S.RAMESH, J.

AND SUNDER MOHAN , J.

The petitioner herein, who is the sister of the detenu viz., Uthirakumaran, male, aged 46 years, S/o.Thangavel, has come forward with this petition challenging the detention order passed by the second respondent dated 29.10.2024, slapped on her brother, branding him as "Sexual 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 Government Order in G.O.(D).No.270, Home, Prohibition and Excise (XVI) Department dated 14.10.2024 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 Nos.41 & 42 of the booklet, a copy of the Government Order in G.O.(D).No.270, Home, Prohibition and Excise (XVI) Department dated 14.10.2024 is available and the translated copy in vernacular version of

the same has not been furnished to the detenue. Therefore, the detenue is deprived from making effective representation and that the Detention Order passed by the Detaining Authority is vitiated.

5. In this context, it is useful to refer to the judgement 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. This is because the non-supply of such a document would amount to denial of the right of being communicated the 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 29.10.2024 in C3/D.O.No.89 of 2024, is hereby set aside and the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed. The detenu viz., Uthirakumaran, male, aged 46 years, s/o.Thangavel, is directed to be set at liberty forthwith, unless he is required in connection with any other case.

[M.S.R., J] [N.S., J] 13.02.2025 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order 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.

To

1. The Secretary To The Government, Home Prohibition And Excise Department

Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.

2.The District Collector And District Magistrate Of Cuddalore District, Cuddalore. 3.The Superintendent Of Police, Cuddalore District, Cuddalore.

4.The Superintendent Of Prison, Central Prison Cuddalore District.

5.The Inspector Of Police, Virudhachalam All Women Police Station, Cuddalore District.

6.The Joint Secretary, Law and Order Department, Secretariat, Chennai.

7.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

M.S.RAMESH, J.

and N.SENTHILKUMAR, J.

Anu

H.C.P.No.2982 of 2024 13.02.2025