IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS Dated:- 22.08.2006 Coram:- The Hon’ble Mr. Justice P.SATHASIVAM and The Hon’ble Mr. Justice S.MANIKUMAR Habeas Corpus Petition No.604 of 2006 D.Daya @ Dayalan ... Petitioner Vs. 1.The State of Tamil Nadu, rep. by its Secretary to Government, Prohibition and Excise Department, Fort St. George, Chennai-9. 2.The District Magistrate and District Collector, Vellore District, Vellore-9. ... Respondents Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for the issuance of a Writ of Habeas Corpus to call for the entire records connected with the order of the second respondent in No.C3/DO.No.23/2006 dated 11.03.2006 and quash the same and direct the respondent to produce the body and person of the petitioner now confined in Central Prison, Vellore before this Court and set him at liberty forthwith. For Petitioner : Mr.S.Arunachalam For Respondents : Mr.M.Babu Muthu Meeran Addl. Public Prosecutor O R D E R (Order of the Court was made by P.SATHASIVAM,J.) The petitioner by name Daya @ Dayalan, who is detained as a ''Goonda" as contemplated under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Slum Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982 (Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982), by the impugned detention order dated 11.03.2006, challenges the same in this Petition. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner as well as learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondents. 3. At the foremost, learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that there is enormous delay in disposal of the representation of the detenu, which vitiates the ultimate order of detention. With reference to the above claim, learned Additional Public Prosecutor has placed the details, which show that the representation of the detenu dated 12.04.2006 was received by the Government on 19.04.2006 and the remarks were called for on 20.04.2006. The representation of the detenu was received from the Government by the Collectorate on 21.04.2006 and parawar remarks were called for from the Sponsoring authority on 24.04.2006 and the remarks were received from the sponsoring authority on 19.05.2006 and report was sent to the Government on 22.05.2006. In the mean time, the remarks were received by the Government on the same day 22.05.2006 and the File was submitted on 23.05.2006 and the same was dealt with by the Under Secretary and the Deputy Secretary on 24.05.2006 and finally, the Minister for Prohibition and Excise passed orders on the same day i.e. on 24.05.2006. The rejection letter was also prepared on the same day i.e. on 24.05.2006 and the same was sent to the detenu on 26.05.2006 and served to him on 29.05.2006. As rightly pointed out by the learned counsel for the petitioner, though parawar remarks were called for from the sponsoring authority on 24.04.2006, the remarks were received from the sponsoring authority by the Collectorate only on 19.05.2006 and there is no explanation at all for sending the remarks to the Collectorate belatedly. In the absence of any explanation by the person concerned even after excluding the intervening holidays, we are of the view that the time taken for sending the remarks to the Collectorate is on the higher side and we hold that the said delay has prejudiced the detenu in disposal of his representation. On this ground, we quash the impugned order of detention. 4. Accordingly, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the impugned order of detention is set aside. The detenu is directed to be set at liberty forthwith from the custody unless he is required in some other case or cause. Sd/ Asst.Registrar /true copy/ Sub Asst.Registrar raa https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ To 1. The Secretary to Government, State of Tamil Nadu, Prohibition and Excise Department, Fort St. George, Chennai-600 009. 2. The District Magistrate and District Collector,Vellore District, Vellore. 3. The Superintendent, Central Prison, Vellore. (In duplicate for communication to detenu) 4. The Joint Secretary to Government, Public (Law and Order) Fort St. George, Chennai-9. 5. The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras. 1 cc To Mr.S.Arunachalam, Advocate, SR.37767. HCP. No.604 of 2006 TEJ(CO) RVL 06.09.2006 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/