Dismissed¶32

Eshwaran Karuppan v. The Commissioner of Police

Madras HC17 Feb 2026HCP/180/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Madras High Court, H.C.P.No.180 of 2026, decided 17.02.2026 (P.Velmurugan & M.Jothiraman, JJ.): habeas corpus petition dismissed as infructuous; detenue Mahendran Pachathan found murdered by A1 and A2; FIR Cr.No.1166 of 2025 registered as 'Man Missing' with M3 Puzhal Police Station, Chennai; direction to respondents to expedite investigation and file Final Report; step-father petitioner free to pursue remedies; Article 226 writ; deaf and dumb victim and accused.

What did the court decide?

No habeas corpus relief granted; petition dismissed as infructuous. Respondents directed to expedite investigation in Cr.No.1166 of 2025 and file the Final Report as soon as possible; petitioner at liberty to work out his remedy in the manner known to law. ¶32

Eshwaran Karuppan Vs The Commissioner of Police — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents should be directed, under a writ of habeas corpus, to secure the body of the detenue Mahendran Pachathan and hand over his custody to the step-father/petitioner.

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Court's answer

Since a criminal case was pending with regard to the death of the detenue and A1 and A2 had been arrested, the relief sought for by the petitioner became infructuous.

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Ratio / Principle

The Habeas Corpus Petition stands dismissed.

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Key takeaways

The respondents are directed to expedite the investigation in Cr.No.1166 of 2025 and file the Final Report as soon as possible.ratio¶32
The petitioner is at liberty to work out his remedy in the manner known to law.ratio¶32

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Habeas corpus petition (under Article 226) by Eshwaran Karuppan, step-father of Mahendran Pachathan (aged about 27, deaf and dumb), seeking production of the detenue and handover of custody. Per the status report filed by the Additional Public Prosecutor, FIR Cr.No.1166 of 2025 ('Man Missing'), lodged on a complaint by Santhosh (brother-in-law of the deceased), led to the finding that the detenue had been murdered by A1 and A2 after developing illegal intimacy with A1's wife; the body was handed over to the petitioner and the accused were arrested. Holding that, with the criminal case pending and the accused arrested, the relief sought had become infructuous, the Bench (order pronounced by P.Velmurugan, J., sitting with M.Jothiraman, J.) dismissed the petition, directed the respondents to expedite the investigation in Cr.No.1166 of 2025 and file the Final Report as soon as possible, and left the petitioner free to work out his remedy in the manner known to law.

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H.C.P.No.180 of 2026

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED : 17.02.2026

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Coram:

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THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.VELMURUGAN and THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.JOTHIRAMAN

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H.C.P.No.180 of 2026

Eshwaran Karuppan

... Petitioner

Vs.

The Commissioner of Police, Police Commissionerate Building, Veppery, Chennai – 600 007.

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The Joint Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police Station, Esplaned, Chennai – 600 001.

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The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Assistant Commissioner Office, Madhavaram, Chennai.

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The Inspector of Police, M3, Puzhal Police Station, Puzhal, Chennai. ... Respondents

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Prayer: This Habeas Corpus Petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue Writ of Habeas Corpus to direct the respondents to secure the body of the detenue by name Mahendran Pachathan, aged about 27 years C/o.Eshwaran Karuppan and produce him before this Court and handover him to the step-father/petitioner.

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1 / 4

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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H.C.P.No.180 of 2026

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For Petitioner : Mr.Santhosh Kumar Ravi

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For Respondents : Mr.A.Damodaran, Addl. Public Prosecutor Assisted by Mr.M.Karthikeyan

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ORDER

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(Order of the Court was made by P.VELMURUGAN, J.)

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This Habeas Corpus Petition has been filed seeking directions to the respondents

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to produce the petitioner’s son Mahendran Pachathan, aged about 27 years C/o.Eshwaran Karuppan, before this Court and handover his custody to the petitioner.

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2 Learned Additional Public Prosecutor, filing the status report, would submit that the petitioner is the step-father of the detenue, who is aged about 27 years and deaf and dumb. Based on the complaint given by one Santhosh, who is brother-in-law of the deceased, a case in Cr.No.1166 of 2025 has been registered for “Man Missing”. Further investigation revealed that the detenue developed illegal intimacy with A1’s wife and hence A1 and A2 planned to murder the detenue and the detenue was murdered by A1 and A2, who are also deaf and dumb. After following the procedures, the body of the detenue/deceased was handed over to the petitioner.

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2 / 4

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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H.C.P.No.180 of 2026

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3 In view of the above submissions made by the learned Additional Public

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Prosecutor and since criminal case is pending with regard to death of the detenue and A1

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and A2 were arrested, the relief sought for by the petitioner become infructuous.

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4 Hence, this Habeas Corpus Petition stands dismissed. However, the respondents are directed to expedite the investigation in Cr.No.1166 of 2025 and file Final Report as soon as possible. The petitioner is at liberty to workout his remedy in the manner known to law.

[PVJ] [MJRJ]

17.02.2026

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