THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.S. RAMESHANDTHE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE v. LAKSHMINARAYANANH.C.P.No

H.C.P.No.657 of 2025IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASDATED : 02.07.2025CORAM :THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.S. RAMESHANDTHE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V. LAKSHMINARAYANANH.C.P.No.657 of 2025Latha ... PetitionerVs.1.State of Tamil Nadu,Rep. by its Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition & Excise Department,Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.2.The Commissioner of Police,Greater Chennai, Chennai.3.The Inspector of Police,F-1, Chinthadripet Police Station,Chennai.4.The Superintendent,Central Prison,Puzhal, Chennai. ... RespondentsPRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, calling for the entire records, relating to Page 1 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.657 of 2025petitioner's husband's detention under Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982 vide detention order dated 19.02.2025 on the file of the second respondent herein made in proceedings No.101/BCDFGISSSV/2025 and quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the respondents herein to produce the petitioner's husband namely Kalai Vikash @ Chinna Theenjai, aged about 28 years, S/o.Kannan, before this Court and set him at liberty, now petitioner's husband detained at Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai – 600 066.For Petitioner: Mr.P.Narayana PrasadhFor Respondents: Mr.E.Raj Thilak, Additional Public Prosecutor ORDER(Order of the Court was made by M.S. RAMESH, J.)The petitioner herein, who is the wife of the detenu namely Kalai Vikash @ Chinna Theenjai, aged about 28 years S/o.Kannan, has come forward with this petition challenging the detention order passed by the second respondent dated 19.02.2025 issued against her husband, branding him as "Goonda" under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber Law Offenders, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Slum Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982 [Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982].Page 2 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.657 of 20252. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, as well as the learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents.3. Though several grounds are raised in this petition, the learned counsel for the petitioner focused mainly on the ground that the subjective satisfaction of the Detaining Authority that there is a possibility of the detenu coming out on bail, suffers from non-application of mind, as the statement under 180(iii) BNSS, is not dated. Hence, the learned counsel for the petitioner raised a bona fide doubt as to when this statement was obtained. The learned counsel further pointed out that, unless the statement relied upon by the Sponsoring Authority is immediately before the Detaining Authority, it may not have relevance and hence, the subjective satisfaction of the Detaining Authority based on this undated statement, would vitiate the Detention Order. 4. It is seen from records that the statement made under 180(iii) of BNSS, obtained by the Sponsoring Authority, enclosed in the Booklet, is not dated. On a perusal of the Grounds of Detention, it is seen that, in Para No.4, the Detaining Authority has observed that the relatives of the detenu are Page 3 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.657 of 2025taking steps to take him out on bail by filing bail application and has arrived at the subjective satisfaction that the detenu is likely to be released on bail. When the statement obtained by the Sponsoring Authority from the mother of the detenu is not dated, the veracity of such statement becomes doubtful. The compelling necessity to detain the detenu would also depend on when the statement was obtained. In the absence of the date, the compelling necessity to detain, becomes suspicious. Hence, this Court is of the view that the subjective satisfaction of the Detaining Authority based on such undated material, suffers from non-application of mind.5. The Hon'ble Supreme Court, in the case of 'Rekha Vs. State of Tamil Nadu through Secretary to Government and another' reported in '2011 [5] SCC 244', has dealt with a situation where the Detention Order is passed without an application of mind. In case, any of the reasons stated in the order of detention is non-existent or a material information is wrongly assumed, that will vitiate the Detention Order. When the subjective satisfaction was irrational or there was non-application of mind, the Hon'ble Supreme Court held that the order of detention is liable to be quashed. It is relevant to extract paragraph Nos.10 and 11 of the said judgment of the Page 4 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.657 of 2025Hon'ble Supreme Court:-“10.In our opinion, if details are given by the respondent authority about the alleged bail orders in similar cases mentioning the date of the orders, the bail application number, whether the bail order was passed in respect of the co-accused in the same case, and whether the case of the co-accused was on the same footing as the case of the petitioner, then, of course, it could be argued that there is likelihood of the accused being released on bail, because it is the normal practice of most courts that if a co-accused has been granted bail and his case is on the same footing as that of the petitioner, then the petitioner is ordinarily granted bail. However, the respondent authority should have given details about the alleged bail order in similar cases, which has not been done in the present case. A mere ipse dixit statement in the grounds of detention cannot sustain the detention order and has to be ignored. 11.In our opinion, the detention order in question only contains ipse dixit regarding the alleged imminent possibility of the accused coming out on bail and there was no reliable material to this effect. Hence, the detention order in question cannot be sustained.”Page 5 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.657 of 20256. In view of the ratio laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court and in view of the aforesaid facts, this Court is of the view that the detention order is liable to be quashed.7. Accordingly, the detention order passed by the second respondent on 19.02.2025 in No.101/BCDFGISSSV/2025, is hereby set aside and the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed. The detenu viz., Kalai Vikash @ Chinna Theenjai, aged about 28 years, S/o.Kannan, is directed to be set at liberty forthwith, unless his confinement is required in connection with any other case. [M.S.R, J.] [V.L.N, J.] 02.07.2025 Index: Yes/NoSpeaking order/Non-speaking orderNeutral Citation: Yes/NoSniPage 6 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.657 of 2025To1.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition & Excise Department,Secretariat, Chennai-600 009.2.The Commissioner of Police,Greater Chennai, Chennai.3.The Inspector of Police,F-1, Chinthadripet Police Station,Chennai.4.The Superintendent,Central Prison,Puzhal, Chennai.5.The Public Prosecutor,High Court, Madras.6.The Joint Secretary, Public (Law & Order),Chennai – 600 009.Page 7 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.657 of 2025M.S.RAMESH, J.andV. LAKSHMINARAYANAN, J.SniH.C.P.No.657 of 202502.07.2025Page 8 of 8