C.Stella v. The Principal Secretary To Government
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 13.07.2023
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.S.RAMESH AND THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.NIRMAL KUMAR H.C.P.(MD)No.1713 of 2022 C.Stella .. Petitioner /Wife of the Detenu Vs.
1.State of Tamil Nadu Represented by the Additional Principal Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The District Collector and District Magistrate, Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi.
3.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli.
.. 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 passed in H.S.(M) Confdl No.209/2022 dated
21.09.2022 on the file of the second respondent herein and quash the same and direct the respondents to produce the detenu or body of the detenu namely the petitioner's husband i.e., Christopher, aged about 36 years, S/o.Shahayaraj, now detained at the Central Prison, Palayamkottai, before this Court and set him at liberty forthwith.
For Petitioner : Mr.K.Prabakaran 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., Christopher, aged about 36 years, S/o.Shahayaraj. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in H.S.(M) Confdl.No.209/2022 dated 21.09.2022 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. 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 the detaining authority has relied upon the order passed in Crl.M.P.No.4451/2019 dated 19.11.2019 and came to the conclusion that in a similar case bail has been granted and that there is likelihood of the detenu released on bail. The learned counsel submitted that the detaining authority was aware of the fact that the detenu filed bail application in the ground case and the same was dismissed. The learned counsel for the petitioner therefore submitted that the order relied upon by the detaining authority is not similar and there is non application of mind on the part of the detaining authority.
4. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor strongly opposed the Habeas Corpus Petition by filing his counter. It is further submitted that
investigation has been completed in this case and final report has been filed and the same is pending trial before the Special Court for NDPS Act cases, Madurai in C.C.No.1242/2022.
5. On carefully going through the detention order, it is seen that in the order that was relied upon by the detaining authority in Crl.M.P.No. 4451/2019 dated 19.11.2019, the quantity involved is 1.250 Kilograms of ganja, whereas, in the present case, the quantity involved is 5 Kilograms of cannabis oil. Hence, the order that was relied upon by the detaining authority cannot be considered to be an order passed in a similar case.
6. In view of the above, the detention order suffers from non application of mind and the same is liable to be interfered with by this Court. The impugned detention order is, therefore, liable to be quashed.
7. In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the order of detention in H.S.(M) Confdl.No.209/2022 dated 21.09.2022 passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, viz., Christopher,
S/o.Shahayaraj, aged about 36 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.) 13.07.2023 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Lm/mbi To 1.The Additional Principal Secretary to Government, State of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Secretariat, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The District Collector and District Magistrate, Thoothukudi District, Thoothukudi.
3.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli.
4.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.
M.S.RAMESH,J.
and M.NIRMAL KUMAR,J.
Lm/mbi H.C.P.(MD)No.1713 of 2022 13.07.2023