Priyanka v. The Additional Chief Secretary To Government

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 25.07.2023

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.S.RAMESH AND THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.NIRMAL KUMAR H.C.P.(MD)No.591 of 2023 Priyanka .. Petitioner / wife of the Detenu Vs.

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

2.The District Collector and District Magistrate, Karur District, Karur.

3.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Trichy.

.. Respondents PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Habeas Corpus, calling for the records pertaining to the impugned detention order passed by the 2nd respondent made in his proceedings in Cr.M.P.No.26/2022 dated 15.12.2022 in detaining the detenu

under Section 2(e) of the Drug Offender and quash the same and direct the respondents to produce the detenu namely Ramkumar son of Raja aged about 30 years, who is detained at Central Prison, Trichy before this Court and set him at liberty.

For Petitioner : Mr.K.Arunraj For Respondents : Mr.A.Thiruvadikumar Additional Public Prosecutor

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by M.S.RAMESH,J.) The petitioner is the wife of the detenu viz., Ramkumar, S/o. Raja, aged about 30 years. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in Cr.M.P.No.26/2022 dated 15.12.2022 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.Among other grounds, the detention order is mainly attacked on the ground that there is a delay in passing the order of detention. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner strongly contended that though the detenu was arrested on 13.10.2022, the detention order was passed only on 15.12.2022 i.e., after a considerable delay of nearly two months. Therefore, the detention order has to be set aside.

4.As seen from the grounds of detention, it is clear that though the detenu was arrested on 13.10.2022, the order of detention came to be passed only on 15.12.2022 and hence, there is an abnormal delay in passing the order of Detention, which caused prejudice to the interest of the detenu.

5.We have gone through the entire materials placed on record. There is no satisfactory explanation offered by the Detaining Authority for the delay in passing the order of detention. Hence the impugned order of detention is liable to be set aside.

6. In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the order of detention in Cr.M.P.No.26/2022 dated 15.12.2022 passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, viz., Ramkumar S/o.Raja, aged about 30 years, is directed to be released forthwith unless his detention is required in connection with any other case.

(M.S.R.,J.) (M.N.K.,J.) 25.07.2023 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No RR

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

2.The Joint Secretary Public (Law and Order) Secretariat, Chennai.

3.The District Collector and District Magistrate, Karur District, Karur.

4.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Trichy.

5.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.

M.S.RAMESH,J.

and M.NIRMAL KUMAR,J.

RR H.C.P.(MD)No.591 of 2023 25.07.2023