H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 18.07.2025 CORAM THE HONOURABLE Mr. JUSTICE M.S.RAMESH AND THE HONOURABLE Mr. JUSTICE V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 M.Jayanthi .. Petitioner Vs. 1.The State of Tamil Nadu rep. by The Principal Secretary to the Government Home, Prohibition and Excise Department Fort St. George, Chennai 9 2.The Commissioner of Police Tambaram City 3.The Superintendent Central Prison, Puzhal Chennai 4.The Inspector of Police T-6, Peerkankaranai Police Station Tambaram City .. Respondents Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a writ of Habeas Corpus to call for the entire records connected with the impugned order of detention passed by the 2nd respondent in BCDFGISSSV 1/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 No.35/2025 dated 11.04.2025 and quash the same as illegal and consequently direct the respondents to produce the detenu viz., P.Deepak, S/o.Punniyamoorthi, aged 26 years, detained in the Central Prison, Puzhal, before this Court and set him at liberty. For petitioner : Mr.C.R.Gokulvisvas For respondents : Mr.E.Raj Thilak Additional Public Prosecutor ORDER M.S.RAMESH, J. AND V. LAKSHMINARAYANAN , J. The petitioner herein, who is the mother of the detenu, P.Deepak, S/o.Punniyamoorthi, aged 26 years, confined at Central Prison, Puzhal, has come forward with this petition challenging the detention order passed by the 2nd respondent dated 11.04.2025 issued against her son, branding him as "Drug Offender" under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber Law Offenders, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Slum Grabbers and Video Pirates Act, 1982 [Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982]. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Additional 2/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents. 3.Though several grounds are raised in this petition, the learned counsel for the petitioner focused mainly on the ground that the subjective satisfaction of the Detaining Authority that the relatives of the detenu are taking steps to take out the detenu on bail, suffers from non-application of mind as the Special Report filed by the Investigating Officer is not dated. Hence, the learned counsel raised a bona fide doubt as to when the Special Report was sent by the Sponsoring Authority to the Detaining Authority. The learned counsel further pointed out that, unless the Special Report of the Sponsoring Authority is immediately before the Detention Order, it may not have relevance and hence, the subjective satisfaction of the Detaining Authority based on this undated document, would vitiate the Detention Order. 4. It is seen from the records that the Special Report of the Sponsoring Authority in page No.175 is not dated. When the Special Report of the Sponsoring Authority is not dated, the veracity of the Report becomes doubtful. The compelling necessity to detain the detenu would also depend on when the 3/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 Sponsoring Authority has sent his Report. In the absence of the report, the compelling necessity to detain, becomes suspicious. Hence, this Court is of the view that the subjective satisfaction arrived at by the Detaining Authority based on such undated materials, suffers from non-application of mind. 5. The Hon'ble Supreme Court, in the case of 'Rekha Vs. State of Tamil Nadu through Secretary to Government and another' reported in '2011 [5] SCC 244', has dealt with a situation where the Detention Order is passed without an application of mind. In case, any of the reasons stated in the order of detention is non-existent or a material information is wrongly assumed, that will vitiate the Detention Order. When the subjective satisfaction was irrational or there was non- application of mind, the Hon'ble Supreme Court held that the order of detention is liable to be quashed. It is relevant to extract paragraph Nos.10 and 11 of the said judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court:- “10. In our opinion, if details are given by the respondent authority about the alleged bail orders in similar cases mentioning the date of the orders, the bail application number, whether the bail order was passed in respect of the co-accused in the same case, and whether the case of the co-accused was on the same footing as the case of the petitioner, then, of course, it could be argued that there is likelihood of the accused being released on bail, because it is the normal practice of most courts that if a co- accused has been granted bail and his case is on the same footing 4/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 as that of the petitioner, then the petitioner is ordinarily granted bail. However, the respondent authority should have given details about the alleged bail order in similar cases, which has not been done in the present case. A mere ipse dixit statement in the grounds of detention cannot sustain the detention order and has to be ignored. 11. In our opinion, the detention order in question only contains ipse dixit regarding the alleged imminent possibility of the accused coming out on bail and there was no reliable material to this effect. Hence, the detention order in question cannot be sustained.” 6. In view of the ratio laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court and in view of the aforesaid facts, this Court is of the view that the detention order is liable to be quashed. 7. Accordingly, the detention order passed by the 2nd respondent on 11.04.2025 in BCDFGISSSV No.35/2025, is hereby set aside and the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed. The detenu viz., P.Deepak, S/o.Punniyamoorthi, aged 26 years, confined at Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai, is directed to be set at liberty forthwith, unless he is required in connection with any other case. (M.S.R.,J.) (V.L.N.,J.) 18.07.2025 Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No gya M.S.RAMESH, J. AND V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN, J. 5/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 gya To The Principal Secretary to the Government Home, Prohibition and Excise Department Fort St. George, Chennai 9 2.The Commissioner of Police Tambaram City 3.The Superintendent Central Prison, Puzhal Chennai H.C.P.No.1056 of 2025 4.The Inspector of Police T-6, Peerkankaranai Police Station Tambaram City 5.The Joint Secretary Law and Order Department Secretariat, Chennai 6.The Public Prosecutor High Court, Madras 18.07.2025 6/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis