R.Ranjith v. State Rep.by its, The Inspector of Police,Tindivanam Police Station,Villupuram District & Ors

CRL OP No. 5402 of 2026__________Page1 of 7IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASDATED: 08-06-2026CORAMTHE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M. NIRMAL KUMARCRL OP No. 5402 of 2026ANDCRL MP NO. 4097 OF 2026R.Ranjith..Petitioner(s)Vs1.State Rep.by its, The Inspector of Police, Tindivanam Police Station, Villupuram District.

Murugan N. (PC 2091)Tindivanam Police Statioin, Villupuram District...Respondent(s)Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 528 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, to call for the records relating to C.C.No.286 of 2025 on the file of Judicial Magistrate-I, Tindivanam, and quash the same. For Petitioner(s):Mr.G.Mohammed AseefFor Respondent(s):Mr.R.Rajasekaran, Counsel for Government of Tamil Nadu (Criminal Side) for R1 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 5402 of 2026__________Page2 of 7ORDERThe petitioner/A3 facing trial in C.C.No.286 of 2025 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Tindivanam, for the offences under Sections 341, 294(b), 353 IPC and Section 7(1)(a) of Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2005, has filed the present quash petition. 2. The case of the prosecution is that, on 07.02.2020, when the respondent Police were on patrol duty near Kandan Lodge at Tindivanam, the petitioner (A3) and other two persons (A1 and A2) were standing in the middle of the road and causing disturbance to the movement of public and vehicles, and further, they were using abusive words against the passersby and were causing threat to the general public. They also claimed that the passing Buses would be damaged and thereby, they were causing a ruckus in the area. Finding that the detention of the petitioners and the other two persons is imminent, the respondent Police had caught hold of the three persons and they were produced before the Police Station and a case was registered in Crime No.84 of 2020 on the file of the respondent Police.

On conclusion of investigation, a charge sheet has been filed as against three persons, including the petitioner (A3), which has culminated into C.C.No.286 of 2025 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 5402 of 2026__________Page3 of 7Tindivanam. To quash the same, the present Criminal Original Petition has been filed by A3.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in this case. Though the prosecution case is that the petitioner had caused an obstruction in the public street, causing disturbance to the movement of vehicles and the public, no public witness has been examined and no public person has lodged any complaint about the obstruction caused by the petitioner and others. All the three listed witnesses are Police personnel. He further submitted that all the accused persons are youth. Since the petitioner and other accused persons were questioning the Police with regard to an earlier issue concerning the villagers, the petitioner and the other accused persons have been falsely implicated in this case. All the accused persons have got no previous case. He further submitted that the petitioner is an Engineering graduate, who has completed his engineering in Mechanical Engineering. He is a first time graduate in his family and now, he is in search of his job. Due to the pendency of the above FIR, his career prospects is highly affected. Therefore, the learned counsel prays for quashing of the criminal proceedings as against the petitioner.

Learned Government Counsel (Criminal Side) appearing for the respondent Police, submitted that, when the respondent Police were on patrol https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 5402 of 2026__________Page4 of 7duty, the petitioner and two others were standing in the middle of the road and causing disturbance and annoyance and shouting at the public, threatening them, and claiming that the public vehicles would be damaged. The respondent Police, left with no other option, had to detain them. Thereafter, a case was registered and after investigation, a charge sheet has been filed and the case has been taken on file in C.C.No.286 of 2025 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Tindivanam, and charges have also been framed. The learned Government Counsel (Criminal Side) also confirms that there is no previous case as against the petitioner (A3) and the other two accused persons A1 and A2. However, he opposes the quash petition on the ground that the petitioners have abused and caused a threat to the public and caused obstruction to the movement of vehicles.

Considering the submissions made by the learned counsel on either side and on perusal of the materials available on record, it is seen that the accused persons, who are youth, were allegedly found in the middle of the road causing disturbance to the public and hence, they were detained. In this case, the admitted position is that the occurrence had taken place in the middle of the road in public view. However, no public witness has been examined. Further, the accused are said to have been using abusive words against the public, however, no complaint has been lodged by any public in this regard. There is nothing to show that the public way and transport was disturbed. In this case, https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP No. 5402 of 2026__________Page5 of 7admittedly, except the three witnesses who are Police personnel, no public has been cited as witness. The petitioner is a B.E. Graduate, who is a first time graduate in his family. The other accused persons are also graduates. All are youth persons. Considering all the above aspects, this Court is of the view that, continuation of criminal proceedings as against the accused persons will only be an abuse of process of Court and a futile exercise. Hence, this Court is inclined to quash the proceedings as against all the accused persons.