A.Josephine Vimala Vs the District Collector

Prayer : Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for a writ of Mandamus directing the 2nd respondents to remove the seal affix in the house property in the name of Paul Jose Cottage at No. 6 Mariya Castle Pasumalai Nagar, Paachal Road, Thirupathur, Thirupathur District belong to the petitioner based on the representation dated 19.11.2024 issued by the petitioner.

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WP No. 24249 of 2025

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For Petitioner :	Mr.C.D.Sugumar Dhilip R Sathrack S Vijay K
For Respondent(s):	Mr.E.Sundaran Govt.Advocate For RR 1, 2 and 4
	Mr.V.Meganathan
	Government Advocate (Crl.Side) for R3

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ORDER

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This writ petition has been filed for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus

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directing the second respondent to remove the seal that has been affixed in the house belonging to the petitioner based on the representation made by the petitioner on 19.11.2024.

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The case of the petitioner is that her husband entered into a rental agreement with one Ayyappan on 15.09.2023 and leased the subject property. The said Ayyappan with his wife seems to have run a scan centre. An FIR came to be registered in Crime No.198 of 2024 against the said Ayyappan and his wife. On 01.04.2024, in the presence of the second respondent and the Inspector of Police and the Village Administrative Officer, the house belonging to the petitioner has been sealed.

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WP No. 24249 of 2025

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The petitioner submitted a representation before the respondents on 19.11.2024 requesting for removing the seal. Since the same was not acted upon, the present writ petition has been filed before this Court. When the writ petition came up for hearing on 04.07.2025, this Court directed the learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents 1 and 2 to take instructions and directed the matter to be listed for hearing today.

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When the matter was taken up for hearing today, written instructions

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given by the second respondent was placed before this Court and the relevant portions are extracted hereunder:

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"jpUg;gj;J}h; tl;lk; kw;Wk; khtl;lk; ghr;ry; fpuhkjj;jpy; ,a';fp tUk; SRDPS jdpahh; bjhz;L epWtdf; fl;llj;jpw;f;F mUfhikapy; rl;lj;jpw;F g[wk;ghf !;nfd; bra;tjhf jpUg;gj;J}h; khtl;l Rfhjhu mYtyUf;F 01/04/2024 md;W khiy Rkhh; 05/00 mstpy; ifngrp bra;jp bgwg;gl;ljd; mog;goilapy; nkw;fz;l tpyhrj;jpw;F jpUg;gj;J}h; kUj;Jtk; kw;Wk; Cuf eyg;gzpfs;. ,iz ,af;Feh; jiyikapyhd kUj;Jtf;FGtpdh; kw;Wk; fpUt&;zfphp khtl;l Rfhjhu mYtyh;. Rfhjhu mYtyh;. bfyk';fsk;. tl;lhu kUj;Jt mYtyh; cs;spl;l kUj;Jtf;FGtpdh;. fpUt&;zfphp khtl;lk; njd;fdpf;nfhl;il

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gFjpia nrh;e;j jpUkjp/b$ak;kh. f-bg.njtuh$; vd;gth; tH';fpa g[fhh; kDtpd; mog;gilapy; Ma;t[ bra;j nghJ Portable Scan Machine xd;W nkw;Fwpg;gpl;l tpyhrj;jpy; ifg;gw;wg;gl;lJ/ ,e;j !;nfd; ikak; PCPNDT Act 1994d; fPH; gjpt[ bra;ag;glhky; ,Ue;jjhft[k; nkw;go !;nfd; ikaj;jpy; kUj;Jtk; gof;fhj eguhd jpUg;gj;J}h; khtl;lk; uhr;rk';fyk; fpuhkj;ij nrh;e;j jpU.Iag;gd;. j-bg/ Jiurhkp vd;gtuhy; fle;j 2023 Mk; Mz;L brg;lk;gh; khjk; Kjy; bray;gl;L te;jJk;. ,k;ikak; jpUg;gj;J}h; muR khtl;l jiyik kUj;Jtkidapy; bjhFg;g[{jpa brtpypauhf gzpg[hpa[k; jpUkjp/n$h!;gpd; tpkyh vd;gthpd; tPl;oy; thliff;F bray;gl;L te;jJ bjhpate;jJ/

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nkYk; Ma;tpd;nghJ mjpy; bjhlh;g[ila nghyp kUj;Jth; jpU.Iag;gd; kw;Wk; mtuJ kidtp jpUkjp f';fhbfshp vd;gth; cld; ,Ue;jhh;fs;/ Iag;gd; vd;gtiu tprhhpj;j nghJ jUkg[hpia nrh;e;j fw;gfk; vd;gth; FHe;ij Mzh. bgz;zh vd;W !;nfd; brd;lUf;F mDg;gpitg;gjhf Twpdhh;/ nkYk; njd;fdpf;nfhl;il bjhYtkiy fpuhkk; jpU.njtuh$; kidtp b$ak;kh vd;gth; jpU.epahkJy;yh vd;gth; brhd;djhf te;jtUf;F fw;gfk; vd;gth; !;nfd; bra;J bgz; FHe;ij jhd; vd;W Twpajhf bjhpatUfpwJ/ jpU.Iag;gd; kw;Wk; mtuJ kidtp jpUkjp f';fhbfshp ,Uth; kPJk; ,jpy; bjhlh;g[ila jUkg[hpia nrh;e;j jpUkjp/fw;gfk; kw;Wk; jpU/epahkJy;yh Mfpnahh; kPJ tprhuiz bra;J chpa rl;l eltof;if vLf;f fhty;Jiwia nfl;Lf;bfhs;sg;gl;lJ/ mjdog;gilapy; Kjy; mwpf;if ( F.I.R. 198-2024. ehs; 01/04/2024) gjpt[ bra;ag;gl;Ls;sJ/ ,jw;F gad;gLj;jg ; gl;l tPl;il jpUg;gj;J}h; fpuhk eph;thf mYtyh; jpU/kzpfz;ld;

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mth;fshy; rPy; itf;fg;gl;lJ/ ifg;gw;wg;gl;l bghUl;fs;. jpU.Iag;gd; kw;Wk; mtuJ kidtp jpUkjp f';fhbfshp Mfpnahh; fhty; epiyaj;jpy; xg;gilf;fg;gl;lJ/ jpUkjp/n$h!;gpd; tpkyh vd;gth; jd;Dila tPl;oid thlif nehf;fj;jpw;fhf jpU/Iag;gd; vd;gtUf;F thliff;F je;Js;shh;/ jpU.Iag;gd; kw;Wk; mtuJ kidtp jpUkjp f';fhbfshp Mfpnahh; rK:fk; kw;Wk; rl;lj;jpw;F tpnuhjkhf bray;gl;L te;jJ. brtpypauhd jpUkjp n$h!;gpd; tpkyh vd;gth; gf;fj;J bjUtpy; trpj;J te;jJk; ,J nghd;w Fw;wr;bray;fs; eilbgw;W te;jJ mwpahky; ,Uf;f tha;g;gpy;iy vd;gjdhy; ghh;it 2y; fhZk; jpUg;gj;J}h; khtl;l Ml;rpah; mth;fspd; ghpe;Jiu fojj;jpd;go brd;id. kUj;Jtk; kw;Wk; Cuf eyg;gzpfs; . ,af;Feh; mth;fshy; jdpaiu gzpePf;fk; bra;J ghh;it 3d; go Miz tug;bgw;wjpd; mog;gilapy; jdpah; gzpapypUe;J tpLtpf;fg;gl;lhh;/"

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Heard Mr.C.D.Sugumar, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr.E.Sundaram, learned Government Advocate appearing for respondents 1, 2 and 4 and Mr.V.Meganathan, learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side) appearing for the 3rd respondent.

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On carefully considering the submissions made on either side and the materials available on record and also considering the written instructions given

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by the second respondent, it is clear that the property that was leased to the said Ayyappan was used for running a scan centre and accordingly a case is also registered in this regard. It is also seen that disciplinary proceedings has been initiated against the petitioner and the petitioner was removed from service. The same has been put to challenge by the petitioner before this Court and a case is pending in W.P.No.25152 of 2024. The present case confines itself only to the sealing of the property belonging to the petitioner.

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The petitioner did not run the Scan Centre, but proceedings are initiated against the petitioner on the ground that the petitioner should have been aware about the Scan Centre by the lessee since the petitioner was only residing two streets away from this property.

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No useful purpose will be served in continuing to keep the property under seal. Whatever equipments were used by the accused persons has already been seized by the police. Therefore, the respondents can be directed to deseal the property after getting an undertaking from the petitioner that the property will not be used for running any Scan Centre. For this purpose, the Village Administrative Officer, Tirupathur Town, Tirupathur is suo-motu impleaded as

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fourth respondent in this writ petition.

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In the result, there shall be a direction to the fourth respondent to deseal the property belonging to the petitioner in the presence of the third respondent after getting an undertaking from the petitioner that the petitioner will not utilise the property for running any Scan Centre. This will be without prejudice to the rights of the petitioner and also the pending criminal proceedings. This process shall be completed within a period of two(2) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

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