High Court · 2025

H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURTDATED : 24.06.2025CORAM:THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRAandTHE HONOURABLE MS.JUSTICE R.POORNIMA H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024Manglam @ Selvam @ Selvaraj... Petitioner -vs-1. The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, State of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise (xiv) Department, Fort St., George, Chennai-600 009.2.The District Magistrate and District Collector O/of the District Magistrate and District Collector Karur District, Karur.3.The Superintendent of Prison, Trichy Central Prison, Trichy District. ... RespondentsPRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a writ of habeas corpus calling for the entire records connected with the detention order of the respondent No.3 in Crl.M.P.No.28/2024, dated 10.09.2024 and quash ____________Page 1 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024the same and direct the respondents to produce the body or person of the Detenu by name Mangalam @ Selvam @ Selvaraj, S/o. Vairaperumal, aged about 36 years, now detained as “Goonda” at Trichy Central Prison before this Court and set him at liberty forthwith. For Petitioner:Dr.S. RameshkumarFor Respondents:Mr.A.Thiruvadi KumarAdditional Public ProsecutorO R D E R[Order of the Court was made by A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA, J.]The petitioner is the detenu viz., Mangalam @ Selvam @ Selvaraj, S/o. Vairaperumal, aged about 36 years. The detenu has been detained by the second respondent by his order in Cr.M.P.No.28 of 2024, dated 10.09.2024 holding him to be a "Goonda", as contemplated under Section 2(f) of Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982. The said order is under challenge in this habeas corpus petition. 2. We have heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents. We have also perused the records produced by the Detaining Authority. ____________Page 2 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 20243. Though several points have been raised by the learned counsel for the petitioner, it is stated that the detention order is liable to be quashed on the ground that the detenu was furnished with illegible copy of the Remand Report relied on by the Detaining Authority, more particularly at Page Nos.37 to 39 of the booklet. Hence, it is submitted that the detenu was deprived of making effective representation.4. On a perusal of the Booklet, it is seen that Page Nos.37 to 39 of the Booklet, which is the Seizure Mahazar and list of property sent to Magistrate, furnished to the detenu, is illegible. This furnishing of illegible copy and improper translation of the vital document would deprive the detenu of making effective representation to the authorities against the order of detention.5. In this context, it is useful to refer to the Judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court in the case of Powanammal vs. State of Tamil Nadu, reported in (1999) 2 SCC 413, wherein the Apex Court, after discussing the safeguards embodied in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India, observed that the detenu should be afforded an opportunity of making a representation ____________Page 3 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024effectively against the detention order and that, the failure to supply every material in the language which can be understood by the detenu, is imperative. The relevant portion of the said decision is extracted hereunder:''9. However, this Court has maintained a distinction between a document which has been relied upon by the detaining authority in the grounds of detention and a document which finds a mere reference in the grounds of detention. Whereas the non-supply of a copy of the document relied upon in the grounds of detention has been held to be fatal to continued detention, the detenu need not show that any prejudice is caused to him. This is because the non-supply of such a document would amount to denial of the right of being communicated the grounds and of being afforded the opportunity of making an effective representation against the order. But it would not be so where the document merely finds a reference in the order of detention or among the grounds thereof. In such a case, the detenu's complaint of non-supply of document has to be supported by prejudice caused to him in making an effective representation. What applies to a document would equally apply to furnishing a translated copy of the document in the language known to and understood by the ____________Page 4 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024detenu, should the document be in a different language.......16. For the above reasons, in our view, the nonsupply of the Tamil version of the English document, on the facts and in the circumstances, renders her continued detention illegal. We, therefore, direct that the detenue be set free forthwith unless she is required to be detained in any other case. The appeal is accordingly allowed.''6. We find that the above cited Powanammal's case applies in all force to the case on hand as we find that non-furnishing of legible copy of the documents relied on by the Detaining Authority at Page No.37 to 39 of the Booklet. This furnishing of illegible copy to the detenu, has impaired his constitutional right to make an effective representation against the impugned preventive detention order. To be noted, this constitutional right is ingrained in the form of a safeguard in Clause (5) of Article 22 of the Constitution of India. We, therefore, have no hesitation in quashing the impugned detention order.7. In the result, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the order ____________Page 5 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024of detention in Cr.M.P.No.28 of 2024, dated 10.09.2024, passed by the second respondent is set aside. The detenu, viz., Mangalam @ Selvam @ Selvaraj, S/o. Vairaperumal, aged about 36 years, is directed to be released forthwith unless his detention is required in connection with any other case. [A.D.J.C., J.] [R.P., J.] 24.06.2025NCC :Yes / NoIndex :Yes / NoInternet:Yes / No trp____________Page 6 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024To:1. The Additional Chief Secretary to Government, State of Tamil Nadu, Home, Prohibition and Excise (xiv) Department, Fort St., George, Chennai-600 009.2.The District Magistrate and District Collector O/of the District Magistrate and District Collector Karur District, Karur.3.The Superintendent of Prison, Trichy Central Prison, Trichy District. 4.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.____________Page 7 of 8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 2024A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA, J.ANDR.POORNIMA , J.trpH.C.P.(MD) No.1555 of 202424.06.2025____________Page 8 of 8