Allowed

P.Valli v. the Secretary to Government

Madras HC26 Jul 2021HCP/2415/2020

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

In this habeas corpus petition, the wife of a detainee challenged the validity of his detention order under the Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982. The High Court of Madras emphasized that unexplained delays in processing representations render detention illegal. Finding gross violations of procedural safeguards, the court quashed the order and directed the release of the detainee.

What did the court decide?

The detention order dated 23.10.2020 passed by the second respondent is set aside, and the detenu is directed to be released forthwith unless detention is required for another case.

P.Valli Vs the Secretary to Government — Pension and Retirement Benefits | Madras HC (2021)

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED: 26.07.2021

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Coram

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The Honourable Mr. Justice P.N.PRAKASH and The Honourable Mr. Justice R.PONGIAPPAN

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H.C.P.No.2415 of 2020

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P.Valli .. Petitioner

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Vs.

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1.The Secretary to Government, Government of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise IX, Secretariat, St.George Fort, Chennai – 9.

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2.The District Magistrate and District Collector, Office of the District Magistrate and District Collector,

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Namakkal.

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3.The Superintendent of Police, Namakkal District, Namakkal.

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4.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Salem.

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5.The Inspector of Police, Namakkal Police Station, Namakkal District. .. Respondents

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Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Habeas Corpus to call for the records from the 2^nd respondent in connection with the detention order in C.M.P.No.16/Drug Offender/2020/M1 dated 23.10.2020 and quash the same and produce the petitioner's husband Palani, aged about 55 years, son of Theerthagiri, now confined in Central Prison, Salem, before this Court and set him at liberty forthwith.

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https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/

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For Petitioner : Mr.J.Pradeep

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For Respondents : Mr.R.Muniyapparaj, Govt.Advocate (Crl.Side)

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ORDER

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[Order of the Court was made by P.N.PRAKASH, J.]

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The petitioner is the wife of the detenu Palani, aged about 55 years, son of Theerthagiri. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in C.M.P.No.16/Drug Offender/2020/M1 dated 23.10.2020, 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.

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We have heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) appearing for the respondents. We have also perused the records produced by the Detaining Authority.

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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 representation made by the petitioner was not considered on time and there was an inordinate and unexplained delay.

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The learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) strongly opposed the Habeas Corpus Petition by filing his counter. 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 Government Advocate (Crl.Side), 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.

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The Detention Order in question was passed on 23.10.2020. The petitioner made a representation dated Nil. Thereafter, remarks were called for by the Government from the Detaining Authority on 05.12.2020. The remarks were duly received on 08.01.2021. Thereafter, the Government considered the matter and passed the order rejecting the petitioner's representation on 18.01.2021.

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https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/

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It is the contention of the petitioner that there was a delay of 34 days in submitting the remarks by the Detaining Authority, of which, 11 days were Government Holidays and hence there was an inordinate delay of 23 days in submitting the remarks. It is the further contention of the petitioner that the remarks were received on 08.01.2021 and there was a delay of 7 days in considering the representation by the Hon'ble Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Department after the Deputy Secretary dealt with it, of which 4 days were Government Holidays, hence, there was an inordinate delay of 3 days in considering the representation.

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In Rekha vs. State of Tamil Nadu (2011 (5) SCC 244), the Honourable Supreme Court has held that the procedural safeguards 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 undertaken by the detenu.

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In Sumaiya vs. The Secretary to Government (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.

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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.

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In the subject case, admittedly, there is an inordinate and unexplained delay of 23 days in submitting the remarks by the Detaining Authority and unexplained delay of 3 days in considering the representation by the Hon'ble Minister for Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Department. The impugned detention order is, therefore, liable to be quashed.

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In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the order of detention in C.M.P.No.16/Drug Offender/2020/M1 dated 23.10.2020, passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, viz., Palani, aged about 55 years, son of Theerthagiri, is directed to be released forthwith unless his detention is required in connection with any other case.

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Sd/Assistant Registrar(CS III)

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//True Copy//

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https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/

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nsd

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1.The Secretary to Government, Government of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise IX, Secretariat, St.George Fort, Chennai – 9. 2.The District Magistrate and District Collector, Office of the District Magistrate and District Collector, Namakkal. 3.The Superintendent of Police, Namakkal District, Namakkal. 4.The Superintendent, Central Prison, Salem. 5.The Inspector of Police, Namakkal Police Station, Namakkal District.

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6.The Joint Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Public, Law and Order Department, Secretariat, Chennai – 9. 7.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

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H.C.P.No.2415 of 2020

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JPL (CO) PR (02/08/2021)

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https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/

P.Valli v. the Secretary to Government

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

P.Valli v. the Secretary to Government

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

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