Divya Mary v. The Secretary To The Government
Case brief
What is this about?
Madras High Court HCP No. 710 of 2026, decided 14-07-2026, order by Sunder Mohan J. (Bench with Dr. Anita Sumanth J.). Wife (Divya Mary) sought habeas corpus release of husband/detenu Jayaram, S/o Mahadevan, detained as 'Goonda' under Section 2(f), Tamil Nadu Preventive Detention Act, 1982 (Act 14/1982), by detention order BBCDEFGISSSV No.801/2025 dated 17.10.2025 of Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai. Detention quashed: (1) Government Order delegating detention powers not furnished in booklet — denial of effective representation, following Powanammal Vs. State of Tamil Nadu (1999) 2 SCC 413; (2) relied-upon bail order (Crl.M.P.No.20525 of 2024, decided 29.07.2024) concerned non-comparable BNS offences (Sections 126(2), 296(b), 115, 125, 309(4), 311, 351(2)) versus detenu's offences (Sections 296(b), 115(2), 309(4), 311, 351(3) BNS and Section 4, Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 1998), vitiating subjective satisfaction on likelihood of bail. Petition under Article 226, Constitution of India; pending bail application Crl.M.P.No.9607 of 2025 noted. Outcome: petition allowed, detention order set aside, detenu to be set at liberty forthwith unless required in another case.