Karpagameena v. The Principal Secretary To Government
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 04.07.2023
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.S.RAMESH AND THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.NIRMAL KUMAR H.C.P.(MD)No.1881 of 2022 Karpagameena .. Petitioner/Mother of the Detenu Vs.
1.The State of Tamil Nadu Represented by its Principal Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Fort St.George, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The Commissioner of Police, Madurai City, 3.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, 4.The Inspector of Police, B4-Keeraidurai Police Station, (Law & Order), Madurai City.
.. Respondents
PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Habeas Corpus, calling for the records relating to the detention order passed by the 2nd respondent in Detention Order No.61/BCDFGISSSV/2022 dated 29.07.2022 and quash the same and direct the respondents to produce the detenu Maruthamuthu @ Maruthu Surya son of Selvam Male aged 30 years who is detained at Central Prison, Madurai, before this Court and set him at liberty.
For Petitioner : Mr.S.Sukumar For Respondents : Mr.A.Thiruvadikumar Additional Public Prosecutor
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by M.S.RAMESH,J.) The petitioner is the mother of the detenu viz., Maruthamuthu @ Maruthu Surya, S/o.Selvam, aged about 30 years. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in No.61/BCDFGISSSV/2022 dated 29.07.2022 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 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. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner strongly contended that though the detenu was arrested on 30.05.2022, the detention order was passed only on 29.07.2022, 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 30.05.2022, the order of detention came to be passed only on 29.07.2022 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 No.61/BCDFGISSSV/2022 dated 29.07.2022 passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, viz., Maruthamuthu @ Maruthu Surya, S/o.Selvam, 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.) 04.07.2023 NCC : Yes / No Index : Yes / No Lm To 1.The Principal Secretary to Government, The State of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Fort St.George, Chennai - 600 009.
2.The Commissioner of Police, Madurai City,
3.The Superintendent of Prison, Central Prison, 4.The Inspector of Police, B4-Keeraidurai Police Station, (Law & Order), Madurai City.
5.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court,
M.S.RAMESH,J.
and M.NIRMAL KUMAR,J.
Lm H.C.P.(MD)No.1881 of 2022 04.07.2023