2026:MHC:3183 HCP No.858 of 2026 __________ IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 30-07-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE DR.JUSTICE ANITA SUMANTH AND THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SUNDER MOHAN HCP No.858 of 2026 S.Gowri, W/o.M.Shanmugam, Aged about 39 years, No.4, Sri Sakthi Ganapathy Nagar, Arakkonam, Ranipet District – 631 003. ...Petitioner Vs 1. The Superintendent of Police, Ranipet, Ranipet District – 632401. 2. The Inspector of Police, Arakkonam Town Police Station, Ranipet District - 631002. ...Respondents Prayer : Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India praying for issuance of Writ of Habeas Corpus, directing the 1st to 3rd respondents to produce the petitioner’s husband namely M.Shanmugam, S/o. Munusamy aged years before this Court and set him at liberty. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis 2026:MHC:3183 HCP No.858 of 2026 __________ For Petitioner: Mr.M.Sarfudeen Ali Ahamed For Respondents: Mr.C.R.Malarvannan Counsel for Government of Tamil Nadu (Criminal Side) ORDER (Order of the Court was made by Sunder Mohan J.) The wife of one Mr.M.Shanmugam has filed the above Habeas Corpus petition alleging that her husband is missing from 19.12.2023 and that no effective steps have been taken by the respondents to trace her missing husband. 2. Though a vague averment is made in the affidavit that the continued inaction of the respondents gives rise to a reasonable apprehension that the petitioner’s husband is in illegal detention, we find that there is no reason to infer that the detenu is in illegal custody. In fact, the petitioner, after lodging the complaint in the year 2023, has not chosen to file any petition before this Court immediately. 3. The Status Report of the respondents suggests that their enquiry revealed that the detenu was facing financial difficulties prior to his disappearance; and that they are taking effective steps to trace the missing https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis 2026:MHC:3183 HCP No.858 of 2026 __________ person. They have detailed the efforts taken in their Status Report dated 30.07.2026. 4. Considering all the above facts, we see no reason to entertain this Habeas Corpus Petition, in the absence of any clear averment that the absentee is in illegal custody. Therefore, the Habeas Corpus Petition is closed with a direction to the respondents to continue their efforts and trace the missing person as expeditiously as possible. (A.S.M.,J.) (S.M.,J.) 30-07-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No dk To 1. The Superintendent of Police Ranipet, Ranipet District-632401. 2. The Inspector of Police Arakkonam Town Police Station, Ranipet District-631002. 3. The Public Prosecutor High Court of Madras, Chennai – 600 104. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis 2026:MHC:3183 HCP No.858 of 2026 __________ DR.ANITA SUMANTH, J. AND SUNDER MOHAN, J. dk HCP No. 858 of 2026 30-07-2026 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis