IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT: THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJA VIJAYARAGHAVAN V MONDAY, THE 8TH DAYOF AUGUST 2016/17TH SRAVANA, 1938 Crl.MC.No. 4174 of 2016 () MC. NO.148/2016 OF SUB DIVISIONAL MAGISTRATE COURT, KASARAGOD. PETITIONER(S): 1. ASHARUDDEEN, S/O ABDUL MUNEER, AGED 23 YEARS, RESIDING AT AMINAS MANZIL, MANIYANODI, NORTH TRIKARIPUR, HOSDURG TALUK, KASARAGOD DISTRICT. 2. MUHAMMED RIYAS, S/O HARIS, AGED 20 YEARS, RESIDING AT T.P.HOUSE, MANIYANODI, NORTH TRIKARIPUR, KASARAGOD DISTRICT. 3. FAISAL U.P.T., S/O SHAFI HAJI, AGED 27 YEARS, RESIDING AT VATTAKULAM HOUSE, MANIYANODI, NORTH TRIKARIPUR, KASARAGOD DISTRICT. BY ADVS.SRI.T.MADHU, SMT.C.R.SARADAMANI. RESPONDENTS/STATE: 1. THE SUB DIVISIONAL MAGISTRATE, KASARAGOD AT KANHANGAD, OFFICE OF THE SUB DIVISIONAL MAGISTRATE, KASARAGOD AT KANHANGAD, KANHANGAD P.O., KASARAGOD DISTRICT.-671 121. 2. THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE, CHANDERA POLICE STATION, KASARAGOD DISTRICT-671 123. Crl.MC.No. 4174 of 2016 3. THE STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM-682 031. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SMT.PUSHPALATHA M.K. THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 08-08-2016, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING: rs. Crl.MC.No. 4174 of 2016 APPENDIX PETITIONER'S ANNEXURES:- ANNEXURE A1: THE TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 30.03.2016 IN [CASE NUMBER] ISSUED BY THE IST RESPONDENT. RESPONDENT'S ANNEXURES:- NIL. TRUE COPY P.S.TO JUDGE rs. [ENTITY], J [CASE NUMBER] Dated this the 8th day of August, 2016 O R D E R
1.The proceeding initiated by the Sub Divisional Magistrate, Kasaragod under [SECTION] of the [ACT] against the petitioners herein is under challenge in this petition filed under [SECTION] of the [ACT] (hereinafter referred to as 'the Code' for brevity).
2.As per the impugned order, the petitioners have been directed to appear before the said officer in person at 11.00 a.m. on 13.4.2016 and to show cause why they should not be required to enter into a bond of Rs.25,000/- with two solvent sureties for the like amount for keeping peace for a term of one year.
3.Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners as well as the learned Public Prosecutor.
4.The learned counsel would assail the order on various grounds. It is submitted that the substance of accusation has not been stated in Annexure-A1 order. The order reveals total non application of mind as the order was passed on the strength of a solitary crime registered in the year 2015 as [CASE NUMBER]. It is urged that the materials before the learned Magistrate was thoroughly inadequate to arrive at the requisite satisfaction. There was no indication of the likelihood of any breach of peace or disturbance of public tranquility in the near future. Finally it is contended that the preliminary order did not meet the requirement of [SECTION] of the Code. Reliance was placed on the Full Bench decision of this Court in Moidu v. State of Kerala [1982 KHC 139 :
1982 KLT 578] and the decision of the learned Single Judges in [PRECEDENT], Santhosh M.V. and Others V State of Kerala [2014 (2) KLD 519] and [PRECEDENT].
5.The learned Public prosecutor, on the other hand, submitted that it was based on the report made by the Sub Inspector of Police , Chandera to the effect that the petitioners were continuously involving themselves in criminal offences causing breach of peace and public tranquility in the area that preventive action was initiated.
6.I have perused the materials on record as well .
7.Under [SECTION] of Code, whenever a Magistrate is informed that any person is likely to commit a breach of the peace, he may require such person to show cause why he should not be ordered to execute a bond with or without sureties, for keeping the peace for a period not exceeding one year. This has to be done in the manner provided in [SECTION]. That Section requires a Magistrate to make an order in writing, setting forth the substance of the information received. The sine qua non for the institution of a proceeding under the Section is that the Magistrate shall be of the opinion that there is sufficient ground for proceeding. The Magistrate, has, under the law, to satisfy himself that a person is likely to commit a breach of the peace or disturb the public tranquility before taking action. For that purpose, the Magistrate before issuing notice [SECTION] must record the grounds, which, in his opinion as sufficient for proceeding further.
8.In [PRECEDENT] the Apex Court , in para 36 of the judgment, had cautioned the Executive Magistrate exercising powers under [SECTION] in the following manner:-
"We have seen the provisions of [SECTION]. That section says that action is to be taken in the manner here-in-after provided and this clearly indicates that it is not open to a Magistrate in such a case to depart from the procedure to any substantial extent. This is very salutary because the liberty of the person is involved and the law is rightly solicitous that this liberty should only be curtailed according to its own procedure and not according to the whim of the Magistrate concerned. It behoves us, therefore, to emphasize the safeguards built into the procedure because from there will arise the consideration of the reasonableness of the restrictions in the interest of public order or in the interest of general public."
It was further observed in Para 37 as under:-
"Since the person to be proceeded against, has to show cause, it is but natural that he must know the grounds for apprehending a breach of the peace or disturbance of the public tranquility at his hands.
Although the section speaks of the substance' of the information, it does not mean the order should not be full. It may not repeat the information but it must give proper notice of what has moved the Magistrate to take the action. This order is the foundation of the jurisdiction and the word substance' means the essence of the most important parts of the information."
9.On perusing Annexure-A1 order, it is evident that the Sub Divisional Magistrate has disregarded the statutory mandate and has invoked powers vested on him in a callous manner. Only a solitary crime is made mention of in Annexure A 1 order That could not have been taken as the basis to issue a preventive order against the petitioners herein. (see [PRECEDENT]; [PRECEDENT]]). In the absence of any evidence rendering a breach of peace probable, a Magistrate is not justified in calling upon parties, to show cause why he should not enter into recognisances, and on his failure, to make an order under the section. (see [PRECEDENT]]. It is also not open to the Magistrate to draw up proceedings against persons under [SECTION] based on vague hunches or general statements. Mere fact that a crime happened to be registered against one person is not sufficient enough reason to invoke the provisions under [SECTION] of the [ACT]. Annexure-A1 order does not state in what way or with reference to what matter the petitioners were likely to commit a breach or peace. There was no tangible evidence before the learned Magistrate that some definite Act is contemplated, which Act, if committed, is likely to cause breach of peace. Annexure- A1 order does not fulfill the requirement under [SECTION] and reveals total non application of mind.
10.The learned Magistrate ought to have borne in mind that the object of the Section is prevention and not punishment of crimes. It is not intended to punish persons for anything that they have done in the past, but to prevent them from doing in future something that might occasion a breach of the peace. The section is designed to enable the Magistrate to take measures with a view to prevent commission of offences involving breach of peace or disturbance of public tranquillity. Wide powers have been conferred on the magistrates specified in this section and as the matter affects the liberty of the subject who has not been found guilty of an offence, it is essential that the power should be exercised strictly in accordance with law.
11.As such, in view of such blatant abuse of the powers under [SECTION] and [SECTION] [ACT], it is only just and proper, to secure the interest of justice and to prevent abuse of powers of the Court, that Annexure-A1 order be quashed.
The petition is allowed. All further proceedings against the petitioners in [CASE NUMBER] of the Sub Divisional Magistrate Court, Kasaragod are quashed.
[ENTITY] JUDGE vps