Allowed

Muthuramalingam v. the Secretary to Government

Madras HC4 Aug 2014HCP(MD)/547/2014

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Preventive detention as a goonda was challenged for delay in considering the detenu's representation. The Court held that five working days of unexplained delay vitiated the detention, allowed the habeas corpus petition, and directed release unless required in another case.

What did the court decide?

Detention order set aside; detenu directed to be set at liberty unless required in connection with another case.

Muthuramalingam Vs the Secretary to… — Constitutional and Fundamental Rights | Madras HC (2014)

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BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

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DATED : 04.08.2014

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CORAM :

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THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE S.MANIKUMAR AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.S.RAVI

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HABEAS CORPUS PETITION(MD)No.547 of 2014

Muthuramalingam

... Petitioner

Vs.

1. The Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise Department, Fort St.George,

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Chennai-600 009.

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1. The District Collector and District Magistrate, Ramanathapuram District.

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1. The Superintendent of Prison, Madurai Central Prison,

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Madurai District.

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... Respondents

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Prayer : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, calling for the entire records connected with the detention order of the respondent No.2 in No.12/Goonda/2014 dated 08.05.2014 and quash the same and direct the respondents to produce the body and person of the detenu by name, Muthuramalingam, Son of Bose, aged about 29 years detained in Madurai Central Prison before this Honourable Court and set him at liberty forthwith.

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For Petitioner : Mr.R.Alagumani For Respondents :Mr.C.Ramesh, Additional Public Prosecutor O R D E R

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(Order of the Court was made by S.MANIKUMAR, J.)

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The petitioner, who is the detenu Muthuramalingam, branded as 'Goonda' in Detention Order, in No.12/Goonda/2014 dated 08.05.2014, by the 2^nd respondent/District Collector and District Magistrate, Ramanathapuram District, has sought for the present Writ of Habeas Corpus.

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2.The Detenu has come to the adverse notice of the police in Crime No.119/2014, registered against him, on the file of Kamuthi Police Station, for the offences under Sections 147, 323, 324, 498 (A), 307 IPC and Section 4 of TNWH Act, and the same is under https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ investigation. Ground case has been registered on the file of Kamuthi Police Station in Crime No.121/2014, under Sections 364

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(A), 365 IPC @ 364 (A), 365, 294(b), 506(ii) IPC, in which, the detenu has been remanded. On being satisfied that the Detenu is indulging in activities, which are detrimental to the maintenance of public order, the Detaining Authority has clamped the Detention Order on the detenu. At paragraph 4 of the Grounds of Detention, the Detaining Authority has concluded as follows:-

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“On perusing documents available in the booklet, I am satisfied that Thiru.Muthuramalingam, (29/14), S/o.Bose, Kamuthi, Ramanathapuram District, who acts in a manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order is a "Goonda" as contemplated under Section 2(f) of the Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982. By committing the above crimes in a public place he created fear and feeling of insecurity in the minds of the people and thereby acted in a manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order.

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Challenging the Impugned Order, though the learned counsel for the petitioner inter alia has raised many contentions, We do not propose to go into all the grounds of challenge, since in our considered view, the point urged by the learned counsel for the petitioner that there was a delay in consideration of the representation merits acceptance.

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On a perusal of the Proforma produced by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, we find that the representation dated 12.05.2014 was received by the Government on 19.05.2014 and remarks were called for, from the Detaining Authority on 19.05.2014. The remarks were received by the Government on 26.05.2014. The Under Secretary has dealt with the representation on 26.05.2014 and Deputy Secretary has dealt with the representation on the same day. The Minister has dealt with the representation on 27.05.2014. Rejection letter was prepared on 28.05.2014 and the same was served to the detenu on 31.05.2014. In between 19.05.2014 and 26.05.2014, there are five clear working days. 24.05.2014 and 25.05.2014 are Government Holidays. Thus, there is delay of five days in considering the representation, which has not been properly explained. At this juncture, this Court deems it fit to consider few decisions on the aspect of delay.

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In Niranjansingh Vs. State of Madhyapradesh reported in 1972(2) SCC 542, the Apex Court while emphasising the need for explaining the delay held that:

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"Where there has been an inordinate delay, it is incumbent on the state to explain it and satisfy the Court that there was justification for that delay. Since the State has not filed any counter affidavit explaining why the representation of the detenu has not been expeditiously disposed of nor has it chosen to set out https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ the various steps taken to comply with the provisions must be held to be illegal"

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In Rashid sk. Vs. State of West Bengal reported in 1973 (3) SCC 476, the Hon'ble Supreme Court considered similar issue and held that any unexplained delay in disposal of the representation would be breach of constitutional imperative and it would render the continued detention impermissible and illegal and accordingly the Hon'ble Supreme Court has held as follows:

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“The ultimate objective of this provision can only be the most speedy consideration of his representation by the authorities concerned, for, without its expeditious consideration with a sense of urgency the basic purpose of affording earliest opportunity of making the representation is likely to be defeated. This right to represent and to have the representation considered at the earliest flows from the constitutional guarantee of the right to personal liberty – the right which is highly cherished in our Republic and its protection against arbitrary and unlawful invasion.”

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In Icchu Devi Choraria Vs. Union of India reported in 1980 (4) SCC 531, the Apex Court has held as follows:

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"There is a constitutional obligation under Article 22 (5) to consider the representation of the detenu as early as possible and if there is unreasonable and unexplained delay in considering such representation, it would have the effect of invalidating the detention of the detenu".

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In the decisions in Tara Chand Vs. State of Rajasthan, reported in 1980 (2) SCC 321 and in Raghavendra Singh Vs. Superintendent, District Jail, reported in 1986 (1) SCC 650, the Hon'ble Apex Court held that any inordinate and unexplained delay on the part of the Government in considering the representation renders the detention illegal.

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In Aslam Ahmed Zahire Ahmed Shaik v. union of India and others reported in 1989 SCC (Crl) 554 the Hon'ble Supreme Court has held as follows:-

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"The supine indifference, slackness and callous attitude on the part of the Jail Superintendent who had unreasonably delayed in transmitting the representation as an intermediary, had ultimately caused undue delay in the disposal of the appellant's representation by the government which received the representation 11 days after it was handed over to the jail Superintendent by the detenu. This avoidable and unexplained delay has resulted in rendering the continued detention of https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ the appellant illegal and constitutionally impermissible.

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When it is emphasised and re-emphasised by a series of decisions of the Supreme Court that a representation should be considered with reasonable expedition, it is imperative on the part of every authority, whether in merely transmitting or dealing with it, to discharge that obligation with all reasonable promptness and diligence without giving room for any complaint of remissness, indifference or avoidable delay because the delay, caused by slackness on the part of any authority, will ultimately result in the delay of the disposal of the representation which in turn may invalidate the order of detention as having infringed the mandate of Article 22(5).

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In K.M.Abdulla Kunhi v. Union of India, (1991) 1 SCC 476 , it has been held as follows:-

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“.... it is settled law that there should not be supine indifference, slackness or callous attitude in considering the representation. Any unexplained delay in the disposal of the representation would be breach of the constitutional imperative and it would render the continued detention impermissible and illegal.”

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In Ram Sukrya Mhatre v. R.D.Tyagi, 1992 Supp (3) SCC 65, the Hon'ble Supreme Court held thus;-

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"The right to representation under Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India includes right to expeditious disposal by the State Government. Expedition is the rule and delay defeats mandate of Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India.

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In Rajammal Vs. State of Tamil Nadu, reported in 1999(1)SCC 417, the Apex Court has held that the representation was received by the Secretary to the Government on 05.02.1998, the Government which received the remarks from different authorities submitted the relevant files before the under Secretary for processing it on the next day. Thereafter, the files were submitted to the Minister, who received it on tour. Finding that there was no valid explanation for the delay from 09.02.1998 to 14.02.1998, the Apex Court held that the delay has vitiated the detention.

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In the decision in Solomon Castro v. State of Kerala reported in 2000 (9) SCC 561, the delay between 09.04.1999 and 28.04.1999 having not been explained on justifiable grounds in disposing the representation, hence on that ground, the order of https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ detention was quashed.

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In the decision in Sherene v. The Commissioner of Police reported in 2000 (1) CTC 8, this Court accepted the ground of unexplained delay in considering the representation between 04.08.1998 and 25.09.1998 to set aside the order of detention.

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Again in District Collector Vs.S.K.Hasmath Beevi reported in 2001 (5) SCC 401, the Supreme Court has held as follows: "Article 22(5) gives the detenu the right to make a representation against an order of detention and such right must be afforded as expeditiously as possible. In other words, the detenu must be afforded the earliest opportunity of making a representation against the order of detention. Article 22(5) in itself does not say to whom a representation could be made or who will consider the representation, but because of the language of Article 22(5) and because of the fact that an order of detention affects the liberty of a citizen, without laying down any hard and fast rule as to the measure of time taken by the appropriate authority for considering a representation, it should be considered and disposed of by the Government as soon as it is received."

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As per the decision in D.Karuppiah v. The Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, reported in 2004 (1) CTC 208, this Court accepted the ground of unexplained delay in considering the representation between 17.04.2002 and 04.05.2002 and the order of detention was set aside.

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After extracting the ratio decided in Jayanarayan Sukul Vs. State of West Bengal, reported in 1970 (1)SCC 219 Mahesh Kumar Chauhan alias Banti Vs. Union of India reported in 1990(3) SCC 148 and Rama Dhondu Borade Vs. V.K.Saraf, Commissioner of Police reported in 1989 (3) SCC 173, a Division Bench of this Court in Ramamurthy Vs., the State of Tamil Nadu, represented by its Secretary to Government, Prohibition and Excise Department, Fort St., George, Chennai - 600 009 and another reported in 2006(4) CTC 181 in paragraph 4 of the decision has held as follows:

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"4.In the matter of preventive detention, while dealing with Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India, the Supreme Court has laid down an ordained principle, particularly in matters where the detenu has an independent constitutional right to make his representation to the authority concerned, to whom the detenu forwards his representation to consider the same within a reasonable time limit, it is the object of Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India that the representation of a detenu whose liberty is in peril and depraved should be considered and disposed of as https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ expeditiously as possible. Otherwise, his continued detention will render itself impermissible and invalid as

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being violative of the constitutional obligation enshrined in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India and if any delay occurs in the disposal of a representation, such delay should be explained by the appropriate authority to the satisfaction of the Court."

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In Sumaiya Vs. The Secretary to Government, Prohibition and Excise Department, Government of Tamilnadu, Fort St. George, Chennai-9 and another 2007(2) MWN (Cr.) 145 (DB) , this Court held that an unexplained delay of three days in the disposal of the representation, made on behalf of the detenu, would be sufficient to set aside the detention order.

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In G.Kalaiselvi Vs. The State of Tamil Nadu (2007(5) CTC 657) , a Full Bench of this Court has held that it is well recognised that the authorities concerned are duty bound to afford to the detenu an opportunity of making a representation and such right of the detenu, obviously, encompasses the corresponding duty that the representation must receive careful and expeditious attention and should be disposed of without any unnecessary delay, and the result of such representation should also be communicated without any such delay.

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In Fathima Sudha @ Esaki Sudha v. District Collector & District Magistrate, Tirunelveli District, reported in 2008 (1) Madras Weekly Notes (Crl) 493 (DB), the delay of seven days between 14.01.2008 and 22.01.2008 in communicating the rejection of representation was held as a vitiating factor to sustain the order of detention.

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In Rekha Vs. State of Tamilnadu (2011(5) SCC 244), it has been held that the personal liberty of a person is protected, under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As it is so sacrosanct and so high in the scale of constitutional values, there is an obligation on the part of the Detaining Authority to show that, while passing the impugned order of detention, the procedures established by law have been meticulously followed. The procedural safe guards are required to be zealously watched and enforced by the Courts of law and their rigour cannot be allowed to be diluted on the basis of the nature of the alleged activities of the detenu.

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In Ummu Sabeena Vs. State of Kerala, 2011 STPL (Web) 999 SC , the Supreme Court has held that the history of personal liberty, as is well known, is a history of insistence on https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ procedural safeguards. The expression 'as soon as may be', in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India, clearly shows the concern of the makers of the Constitution that the representation,

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made on behalf of the detenu, should be considered and disposed of with a sense of urgency and without any avoidable delay.

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In the decision in Chellaswamy v. The District Collector and District Magistrate) reported in 2011 (2) Madras Weekly Notes (Crl) 77 (DB), out of the total delay of twelve days, five days were public holidays and remaining seven days being unexplained was held as a vitiating factor to sustain the order of detention.

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The reason for immediate consideration of the representation is too obvious to be stressed - the personal liberty of a person is at stake and any delay would not only be an indifferent act on the part of the Authorities, but would also be unconstitutional, violating the right enshrined under Article 22 (5) of the Constitution of India of a Detenu to have his representation considered with reasonable expedition. The unexplained delay in sending the remarks, in our considered view, would have the effect of vitiating the Detention Order. For reasons stated supra, the Detention Order is liable to be quashed.

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In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the impugned order of the 2^nd respondent namely, District Collector and District Magistrate, Ramanathapuram District, in No.12/Goonda/2014 dated 08.05.2014, is set aside. The Detenu Muthuramalingam, is ordered to be set at liberty, unless his presence is required in connection with any other case.

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/True Copy/

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Assistant Registrar(AS) Sub-Assistant Registrar

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