Velmurugan v. The Additional Chief Secretary To Government
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 04.07.2024
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.RAJASEKAR Velmurugan (Now confined at Central Prison, Palayamkottai) ... Petitioner -vs1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, State of Tamilnadu, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.
2.The District Collector and District Magistrate, Tirunelveli District, Tirunelveli-9.
3.The Superintendent of Prison, Palayamkottai Central Prison, Tirunelveli District.
... Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Habeas Corpus to call for the entire records connected with the detention order of the Respondent No.2 in M.H.S.Confdl No.181/2023, dated 06.12.2023 and quash the same and direct the respondents to produce the detenu by name Velmurugan, S/o.Murugiah alias Murugan, aged about 36 years, now detained in Palayamkottai Central Prison before this Court and set him at liberty forthwith. For Petitioner :
Mr.R.Vinoth Bharathi For Respondents :
Mr.A.Thiruvadi Kumar Additional Public Prosecutor
O R D E R
[Order of the Court was made by A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA, J.] The petitioner is the detenu viz., Velmurugan, son of Murugiah alias Murugan, aged about 36 years. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in M.H.S.Confdl.No.181/2023, dated 06.12.2023 holding him to be a "Drug Offender", as contemplated under Section 2(e) of Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982. The said order is under challenge in this habeas corpus petition.
2. We have heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents. We have also perused the records produced by the Detaining Authority.
3. Though several points have been raised by the learned counsel for the petitioner, it is stated that the detention order is liable to be quashed on the ground that certain documents, which were relied on by the detaining authority in Booklet Page Nos.59 to 63, are illegible. Despite the specific request made by the petitioner, the copies of the same have not been furnished to the detenu. Hence, it is submitted that the detenu was deprived of making effective representation.
4. On a perusal of the Booklet it is seen that Page Nos.59 to 63, which are some relied on documents furnished to the detenu, are illegible. This furnishing of illegible copy would deprive the detenu of making effective representation to the authorities against the order of detention.
5. In this context, it is useful to refer to the Judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court in the case of Powanammal vs. State of Tamil Nadu, reported in (1999) 2 SCC 413, wherein the Apex Court, after discussing the safeguards embodied in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India, observed that the detenu should be afforded an opportunity of making a 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. The relevant portion of the said decision is extracted hereunder: ''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.
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 nonsupply 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. We find that the above cited Powanammal's case applies in all force to the case on hand as we find that non-furnishing of legible copy of the documents relied on by the Detaining Authority at Page Nos.59 to 63 of the Booklet. This furnishing of illegible copy to the detenu, has impaired his constitutional right to make an effective representation against the impugned preventive detention order. To be noted, this constitutional right is ingrained in
the form of a safeguard in Clause (5) of Article 22 of the Constitution of India. We, therefore, have no hesitation in quashing the impugned detention order.
7. In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the order of detention in M.H.S.Confdl.No.181/2023, dated 06.12.2023, passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, viz., Velmurugan, aged about 36 years, son of Murugiah alias Murugan, is directed to be released forthwith unless his detention is required in connection with any other case. [A.D.J.C., J.] [K.R.S., J.] 04.07.2024 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes / No am
To:
1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, State of Tamilnadu, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009.
2.The District Collector and District Magistrate, Tirunelveli District, Tirunelveli-9.
3.The Superintendent of Prison, Palayamkottai Central Prison, Tirunelveli District.
4.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.
A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA, J.
AND K.RAJASEKAR, J.
am 04.07.2024