Nathiya v. The Additional Chief Secretary To Government
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 20.04.2022
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.SUBRAMANIAN and THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.SATHISH KUMAR Nathiya ... Petitioner/Wife of the Detenue Vs.
1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The District Magistrate and District Collector, Velunachiar Valagam, Dindigul - 624 004.
3.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Madurai.
4.The Inspector of Police, Dindigul Taluk Police Station, Dindigul District.
...Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus,calling for the entire records connected with the detention order in Detention Order No.41/2021 dated 04.08.2021 on the file of the second respondent and quash the same as illegal and direct the respondents to produce the body or person of the petitioner's husband namely Arjun, Son of Sekar aged about 26 years now confined at Central Prison, Madurai before this Court and set him at liberty forthwith. For Petitioner : Mr.R.Karunanidhi For Respondents : Mr.S.Ravi, Additional Public Prosecutor.
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O R D E R
R.SUBRAMANIAN, J.
AND N.SATHISH KUMAR, J.
The Petitioner is the wife of the detenu, namely, Arjun, Son of Sekar aged about 26 years. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in Detention Order No.41/2021 dated 04.08.2021 , holding him to be a "Goonda", as contemplated under Section 2(f) 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 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 grounds have been raised in the Habeas Corpus Petition, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would mainly focus his argument on the ground that there is gross violation of procedural safeguards, which would vitiate the detention. The learned counsel, by placing authorities, submitted that the representations made by the petitioner were not considered on time and there was an inordinate and unexplained delay with regard to the same.
4.The learned Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the Habeas Corpus Petition. He would submit that though there was delay in considering the representation, on that score alone, the impugned detention order cannot be quashed. According to the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, no prejudice has been caused to the detenu and thus, there is no violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution of India. 5.The Detention Order in question was passed on 04.08.2021. The petitioner made a representation, dated 06.09.2021 and the same was received on 08.09.2021. Thereafter, remarks were called for by the Government from the Detaining Authority on 08.09.2021 and the remarks were received on 23.09.2021, in which, there is a delay of 9 days excluding the Government Holidays of 5 days.
Thereafter, the Deputy Secretary has dealt with the representation on 24.09.2021 and thereafter, Minister for Electricity, P & E has dealt with the representation on 28.10.2021, in which there is a delay of 22 days after excluding the Government Holidays of 11 days. Ultimately, the petitioner's representation was rejected on 28.10.2021. Thus there is a delay of 31 days in considering the representation which remains unexplained. 6.In Rekha vs.
Courts of law and their rigour cannot be allowed to be diluted on the basis of the nature of the alleged activities undertaken by the detenu.
7. In Sumaiya vs. The Secretary to Government, reported in 2007 (2) MWN (Cr.) 145, a Division Bench of this Court has held that the unexplained delay of three days in disposal of the representation made on behalf of the detenu would be sufficient to set aside the order of detention.
8. In Tara Chand vs. State of Rajasthan and others, reported in 1980 (2) SCC 321, the Honourable Supreme Court has held that any inordinate and unexplained delay on the part of the Government in considering the representation renders the very detention illegal.
9. In the subject case, admittedly, there is an unexplained delay of 31 days in considering the representation. The impugned detention order is, therefore, liable to be quashed.
10. In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the order of detention in Detention Order No.41/2021 dated 04.08.2021, passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, namely, Arjun, Son of Sekar aged about 26 years, is directed to be released forthwith unless his detention is required in connection with any other case.
Sd/- Assistant Registrar (CS-III) // True Copy // / /2022 Sub Assistant Registrar(CS) PM To 1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The District Magistrate and District Collector, Velunachiar Valagam, Dindigul - 624 004.
3.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Madurai.
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4.The Inspector of Police, Dindigul Taluk Police Station, Dindigul District.
5.The Joint Secretary to Government, Public (Law & Order), Fort saint George, Chennai-600 009.
6.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.
+1 CC to M/s.R. KARUNANIDHI, Advocate ( SR-20207[F] dated 21/04/2022 ) H.C.P(MD).No.1510 of 2021 20.04.2022 RD(05.05.2022) 4P 8C 4/4