HIGH COURT OF TRIPURA AGARTALA WP(C)(HC) No.4 of 2025 Sri Utpal Das, S/o Uttam Das, resident of Rajarbag, Ward No.15, P.S. & P.O. – R.K. Pur, District – Gomati Tripura. .........Petitioner(s). Versus 1. The State of Tripura, represented by the Secretary, Department of Home, Government of Tripura, New Secretariat Building, P.O. Kunjaban, P.S. N.C.C., District – West Tripura. 2. The Secretary, Department of Home, Government of Tripura, New Secretariat Building, P.O. Kunhjaban, P.S. – New Capital Complex, District – West Tripura. 3. The Director General of Police, West Tripura. 4. The Superintendent of Police, Udaipur, Gomati Tripura. 5. The Union of India, represented by the Secretary, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Room No.128A, North Block, New Delhi, Government of India. .........Respondent(s); For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Samar Das, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Mr. B. Majumder, Deputy S.G.I., Mr. Raju Datta, Public Prosecutor. HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M.S. RAMACHANDRA RAO HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE S. DATTA PURKAYASTHA ORDER 03/11/2025 In this matter relating to preventive detention under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act,1988, though the Writ Petition was filed in May, 2025 and notice was issued on August, 2025, no counter-affidavit was filed by respondent nos. 01 to 04 till 28.10.2025 by which date the one-year period of detention pursuant to the order dt.22.10.2024 had already expired. After a reprimand by this Court on 28.10.2025 and a direction to pay costs of Rs.20,000/- to the High Court Legal Services Committee, now a counter- affidavit has been filed on 31.10.2025 by the Under Secretary, Home Department, Government of Tripura. This indicates a total callous attitude adopted by the respondent nos.01 to 04 in relation to matters of personal liberty. The Writ Petition has been successfully rendered infructuous by the delay tactics of respondent nos. 01 to 04 in not filing counter-affidavit before the validity of the order impugned expired on 21.10.2025. Therefore, the respondent no.01 shall pay costs of Rs.2,000/- to the petitioner within eight weeks. Accordingly, the instant petition is disposed of as infructuous. Pending application(s), if any, also stands disposed of. (S. DATTA PURKAYASTHA, J) (M.S. RAMACHANDRA RAO, CJ) Munna MUNNA SAHA Digitally signed by MUNNA SAHA Date: 2025.11.04 15:48:42 +05'30'