THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.RAMULU WRIT PETITION No.25453 of 2008 ORDER: This writ petition is filed seeking a mandamus declaring the action of respondents 3 and 4 in continuing rowdy sheet opened against the petitioner as arbitrary, illegal and violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India. According to the petitioner, way back in 1985, a rowdy sheet was opened against him and the same was however, closed in 1996. Immediately thereafter, in 1997, again, a rowdy sheet was opened and it is being continued. He stated that he has been acquitted in all the criminal cases and no case is pending against him nor there is any complaint against him in relation to involvement in any crime. Respondents 3 and 4, who, earlier opened rowdy sheet against him, are still harassing him by calling daily to the Police Station on the ground that the rowdy sheet is still pending. Standing Order No.602 of Andhra Pradesh Police Manual contemplates that merely because a suspect/rowdy having a history sheet is not figuring as accused in previous five years after the last in which he was involved it should not preclude the SP/DCP/CP to continue rowdy sheet, if SP/DCP/CP is of the considered view that his activities are prejudicial to the maintenance of public order or one affecting peace and tranquility in the area or the victims are not coming forward to give complaint against him on account of threat from him. He further stated that no such review has been made nor it is the case of the respondents that any of his activities are prejudicial to the maintenance of public order and one affecting peace and tranquility. Therefore, opening of rowdy sheet in 1997 on the ground that another crime was registered under Sections 447, 427, 468, 471 and 420 IPC against him is arbitrary and illegal. The respondents filed a detailed counter showing that the petitioner was involved in as many as 35 crimes and almost all the crimes were either closed or action was dropped or bound over. Further, in Crime No.163 of 2000, under Sections 448, 427 and 506 IPC, he was fined with Rs.1,500/- by the learned VI Metropolitan Magistrate, Medchal, on 15.09.2001, and he was bound over under Section 107 Cr.P.C. in Crime No.190 of 2008 and recently, a case in crime No.16 of 2009 under Section 25 of the Arms Act was registered on the file of the respondent Police Station on 07.01.2009 against the petitioner, who was shown as Accused No.1 therein, and he was arrested and released on bail and the case is still pending. According to the respondents, mere acquittal in the criminal cases does not entitle the petitioner seeking to close the rowdy sheet. Nobody is coming forward to give evidence against him. Therefore, this is a case, which fits into the teeth of the Standing Order Nos.601 and 602 of the Andhra Pradesh Police Manual. Learned counsel for the petitioner states that the petitioner has become old, he is not capable of doing any further crime and his health also deteriorated and therefore, the rowdy sheet re-opened against him in 1997 needs to be closed. In that view of the matter, without expressing any opinion on merits, the petitioner is permitted to file a detailed representation before the authority concerned seeking to close the rowdy sheet re-opened against him and on filing such representation, the competent authority shall consider and pass appropriate orders taking overall situation into consideration within a period of four (4) weeks thereafter. Subject to the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. _________________ C.V.RAMULU, J 7th SEPTEMBER, 2010. kvni