Sofi v. State of Kerala

# **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MRS. JUSTICE ANU SIVARAMAN** **&** **THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C. JAYACHANDRAN FRIDAY, THE 20[TH] DAY OF OCTOBER 2023/28TH ASWINA, 1945 WP(CRL.) NO.805 OF 2023** ## **PETITIONER:** SOFI, AGED 24 YEARS, W/O.MUHAMMED TAHIR, THANNIVILA VEEDU, MELVATTOOR.P.O, VARKALA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT – 695312. BY ADVS. M.KIRANLAL MANU RAMACHANDRAN R.RAJESH (VARKALA) SAMEER M.NAIR SAILAKSHMI MENON ABHISHEK JOHNSON ## **RESPONDENTS:** 1 STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY ADDITIONAL CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, HOME DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT – 695001. 2 THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR & DISTRICT MAGISTRATE, 2ND FLOOR CIVIL STATION BUILDING, CIVIL STATION ROAD, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN – 695043. 3 THE DISTRICT POLICE CHIEF, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, UNIVERSITY OF KERALA SENATE HOUSE CAMPUS, PALAYAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT – 695033. 4 THE STATION HOUSE OFFICER, VARKALA POLICE STATION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN – 695141. 5 THE SUPERINTENDENT CENTRAL PRISON, VIYOOR, THRISSUR DISTRICT, PIN – 680010. **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **- 2 -** BY ADV. SRI.K.A.ANAS, GOVERNMENT PLEADER THIS WRIT PETITION (CRIMINAL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 20.10.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: **- 3 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **ANU SIVARAMAN & C.JAYACHANDRAN, JJ. ----------------------------------W.P.(Crl).No.805 of 2023 ----------------------------------Dated this the 20[th] day of October, 2023** ## **JUDGMENT** ## **C.Jayachandran, J.** **Under challenge in this writ petition is an order of preventive detention issued against the husband of the petitioner in terms of Section 3 of the Kerala Anti-social Activities (Prevention) Act (hereinafter referred to as 'KAA(P)A')** , **produced at Ext.P4 in the writ petition. By Ext.P6 order, Ext.P4 detention order was confirmed by the Government under Section 10(4) of the Act, directing continuance of the detention for a period of six months with effect from the date of detention. As many as six cases were considered to find that the detenu is a 'Known Rowdy' as defined in the KAA(P)A.** **2. Heard Sri.Kiranlal.M, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri.K.A.Anas, learned Government** **- 4 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **Pleader on behalf of the respondents. Perused the records.** **3. Essentially, three grounds were urged by the learned counsel for the petitioner to assail Ext.P4 detention order, which are referred to here below:** - **i) There is a delay of 138 days, reckoned from the last prejudicial activity, for the sponsoring authority to prefer a report proposing preventive detention. While the last prejudicial activity was on 08.12.2022, the District Police Chief preferred the proposal for detention only on 27.04.2023, thus snapping the live link between the last prejudicial activity and the purpose of detention.** - **ii) The order of detention was not forthwith forwarded to the Government as enjoined by Section 3(3) of the KAA(P)A.** **iii)The bail conditions, upon which the detenue was released in the last crime,** **- 5 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **as also, other crimes reckoned were not considered by the detaining authority; nor was its sufficiency addressed while issuing Ext.P4 detention order.** **In support of the above contention, the learned counsel for the petitioner relied upon the following decisions:** **i) Anju P.Anil Kumar v. State of Kerala [2023** **(4) KLT 67 (DB)]** **ii) Rafiya v. State of Kerala and Others [2019** **(1) KHC 63 (DB)]** **4. Refuting the contentions urged by the learned counsel for the petitioner, the learned Government Pleader argued in support of the subject detention order. Based on facts, it was addressed that there is no unexplained delay, so as to snap the live link** **between the last prejudicial activity and the detention order. It was also contended that Ext.P4 detention order was forthwith forwarded to the Government and the Director General of Police. The** **- 6 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **detention order dated 04.05.2023 was forwarded on 06.05.2023, the date on which Ext.P4 detention order was executed. What was sent on 10.05.2023 was only a proposal for approval of the detention order in terms of Section 3(3) of the KAA(P)A. Finally, the learned Government Pleader submitted that the sufficiency of the bail conditions, as also, of the proceedings initiated under Section 107 of Cr.P.C has been considered and discussed in Ext.P4 detention order, at running page no.41.** **5. Having considered the rival contentions, we find little merit in the contentions urged by the learned counsel for the petitioner to assail Ext.P4 detention order. It is profitable to refer to the following time lines, which culminated in Ext.P6** ## **order of confirmation:** |**Sl.No.**||**Date**||**Event**| |---|---|---|---|---| |**1**|**08.12.2022**||**The last prejudicial activity was**<br>**allegedly committed, which led to**<br>**registration of Crime No.2019/2022 of**<br>**Varkala Police Station.**|| |**2**|**04.01.2023**||**The detenu was arrested in the last**<br>**crime.**|| **- 7 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** |**3**|**27.01.2023**|**S.H.O by virtue of a report,**<br>**recommended preventive detention of**<br>**the detenu.**| |---|---|---| |**4**|**18.02.2023**|**The District Police Chief proposed**<br>**the preventive detention to the**<br>**District Magistrate.**| |**5**|**29.03.2023**|**The detenue was released on bail in**<br>**the last crime.**| |**6**|**07.04.2023**|**The District Magistrate sought**<br>**clarification to the District Police**<br>**Chief.**| |**7**|**25.04.2023**|**S.H.O, Varkala gave additional report**<br>**to the District Police Chief.**| |**8**|**27.04.2023**|**The District Police Chief preferred**<br>**additional**<br>**report**<br>**to**<br>**the**<br>**clarification sought for by the**<br>**District Magistrate.**| |**9**|**04.05.2023**|**Ext.P4 detention order was passed.**| |**10**|**06.05.2023**|**Detenu was arrested in execution of**<br>**Ext.P4 detention order.**| |**11**|**12.05.2023**|**Ext.P4 detention order was approved,**<br>**as per Section 3(3) ofKAA(P)A.**| |**12**|**15.05.2023**|**The detention order was sent for**<br>**opinion of the Advisory Board.**| |**13**|**19.06.2023**|**The Advisory Board preferred report**<br>**sustaining grounds of detention.**| |**14**|**27.06.2023**|**The**<br>**Government**<br>**confirmed**<br>**the**<br>**detention order vide Ext.P6.**| **6. Now, coming to the first ground of inordinate delay, allegedly resulting in snapping the live link between the last prejudicial activity and the order of detention, we notice that though the last prejudicial activity was on 08.12.2022, the detenue was arrested only on 04.01.2023. Until 29.03.2023,** **- 8 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **the detenu was in judicial custody. Pursuant to the report of the S.H.O dated 27.01.2023, the District Police Chief proposed preventive detention of the detenu to the District Magistrate on 18.02.2023. Up to this point of time, we cannot find any delay, worth consideration. Pursuant to release of the detenu on bail, the District Magistrate, within ten days sought for clarification with respect of the final report and the bail granted to the detenue in the last crime. Such report is seen preferred by the District Police Chief on 27.04.2023, pursuant to an additional report preferred by the S.H.O, Varkala on 25.04.2023. Thereafter within 7 days, that is to say on 04.05.2023, Ext.P4 detention order was passed. We cannot find any inordinate delay, or for that matter any unexplained delay, in issuing Ext.P4 detention order, so as to snap the live link between the last prejudicial activity and the order of detention. We notice that the pressing necessity to detain the detenu arose only after 29.03.2023, on which date he was enlarged on bail in the last crime. It is** **- 9 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **settled that it is not the length** _**per se**_ **of the delay which is fatal, since the same can be condoned if satisfactory explanation is offered. We therefore reject the first contention.** **7. Coming to the second, the contention is that Ext.P4 detention order was not forthwith reported to the Government. In the instant case, Ext.P4 detention order was passed on 04.05.2023 and the same was executed on 06.05.2023, on which date Ext.P4 detention order was reported to the Government. We are not of the opinion that the delay of two days in reporting the factum of passing the detention order to the Government is fatal, so as to vitiate the preventive detention of the detenu. It is true that on 10.05.2023, the detaining authority forwarded a request for approval of Ext.P4 detention order. However, that will not enure to the advantage of the petitioner, so long as Ext.P4 detention order was reported to the Government within two days.** **- 10 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **8. Coming to the third ground, we endorse the submission made by the learned Government Pleader. The sufficiency of the bail conditions, as also, of the proceedings under Section 107 of the Cr.P.C. is seen discussed in Ext.P4 detention order at page no.41, the relevant portion of which is extracted** ## **here below:** "ഗഗരവമമററയ കറകതതങൾ ചചയ എതറർകകറചയ ആയതറൽ നറനന പറനറരറപറകനതറന മവണറ അറസസ, ററമമൻഡസ, മറസ മപമസറകകഷൻ നടപടറകൾ, കറകതതങളറൽ ഏർചപടരചതനന മറമള കർശനമമയ ഉപമധറകമളമചടയള ബഹ. മകമടതറകളചട ജമമതവതവസകൾ തടങറയ നടപടറകൾ സസസകരറചറടന തടർനന സമമധമനലനഘന പവർതറകളറൽ ഏർചപട വനതറനമൽ എതറർകകറചയ നറയമതറചന വരതറയറൽ നറർതമൻ ടറയമനറൽ നറനന ഒര വർഷകമലമതയസ നലനടപസ ജമമതന വമങനതറമലയ U/s 107 CrPC പകമരന ററമപമർടസ തയമറമകറ 11.03.2022 തസയതറ ബഹ. തറരവനനപരന സബസ ഡറവറഷണൽ മജറസസ മടറസ മകമടതറ മമമചക ഹമജരമകറ.. 25.04.2022 തസയതറ ഡറമപമസറഷൻ നടപടറ പർതറയമകറയറടളതന ആയതസ ആയതസ MC 377/2022 നമരമയറ ബഹ.മകമടതറയചട പരറഗണനയറലമമകന.. തടർനസ എതറർകകറചയ നറയമതറചന വരതറയറൽ നറർതമൻ മകരളമ സമമഹതവറരദ പവർതനങൾ (തടയൽ) നറയമന 2007 നസ 15(1)(a) പകമരന ബഹ.തറരവനനപരന മറഞസ ചഡപകടറ മപമലസസസ ഇൻസചപകർ ജനറൽ മമമചക TR 15/KAA(P)A(U/s15)/2022 SB Dtd.11.05.2022 നമരമയറ തറരവനനപരന ററൽ ജറലമ മപമലസസസ മമധമവറ സമർപറച ററമപമർടസ പരറഗണറചസ എതറർകകറചയ മനരറൽ മകടതറൽ ടറയമൻ മമലറൽ കറകതതങളറൽ ഏർചപടറലമ എനസ സമതറചസ പറഞതറനമൽ ടറയമചന തമകസതസ നൽകറ വറടയചറടളളതന എനമൽ ടറ ഉതരവസ വകവയമചത **- 11 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** എതറർകകറ വസണന കടയമവർ മപമലസസസ മസഷൻ കകന **788/2022 U/s 341, 294(b), 427, 506(1), 323, 324, 326 & 34 IPC,** വർകല മപമലറസസ മസഷൻ കകന **2019/2022 U/s 365, 323, 324, 326, 308, 34 IPC, Sec 3(2)(va) of SC/ST (POA) Act** എനസ രണസ ഗരതരകറകതതങളറൽ ഏർചപടറടളതമമണസ **.** എതറർകകറചയതറചര ററമപമർടമയ മകസകൾ എലമന തചന അടറപറടറ **,** അകമന **,** ഭസഷണറചപടതൽ **,** നരഹതതമ ശമന **,** തടറചകമണമപമകൽ കഠറന മദമഹമപദവന **,** പടറകജമതറ **/** പടറകവർഗകമർചകതറചരയള അതറകമന തടങറയ ഗരതര മകസകളമണസ **.** ഇനതൻ ശറകമ നറയമതറചല ശറകമർഹമമയ കറകതതങളറൽ ഏർചപടന ആളന സമമഹതവറരദ പവർതനങളറൽ ഏർചപടനയമളമമണസ **.** ഓമരമ കറകതതതറന മശഷവന തചന കറവമസനകസ ചതലന കറവസ വരതമചത കടതൽ ആകമമണമൽസകതമയമചട കറകതതങളറൽ ഏർചപടന പവണത പലർതറ വരനതമണസ **.”** **9. In the above state of affairs, we cannot but find that the detaining authority had addressed and found that usual bail conditions are not sufficient to contain the criminal propensity of the detenu, since he had involved in subsequent crimes. In fact, the sufficiency of the proceedings under Section 15 of the KAA(P)A is also seen considered, besides the one under Section 107 of Cr.P.C. We therefore, reject the third contention as well.** **- 12 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** **The inevitable result of the above discussion is that the Writ Petition lacks merit and the same is therefore dismissed.** **Sd/-** **ANU SIVARAMAN, JUDGE** **Sd/-** **C.JAYACHANDRAN, JUDGE** **ww** **- 13 -** **WP(Crl).No.805 of 2023** ## **APPENDIX OF WP(CRL.) 805/2023** PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS: |EXHIBIT P1|A TRUE COPY OF THE REPORT DATED| |---|---| ||27.01.2023 SUBMITTED BY THE STATION HOUSE| ||OFFICER, VARKALA POLICE STATION TO THE| ||DISTRICT<br>POLICE<br>CHIEF<br>(RURAL),| ||THIRUVANANTHAPURAM.| |EXHIBIT P2|THE PETITIONER'S HUSBAND WAS RELEASED ON| ||BAIL BY THE JUDGMENT OF THE HONOURABLE| ||HIGH COURT IN CRL.APPEAL NO.406/2023| ||DATED 29.03.2023. A TRUE COPY OF THE| ||JUDGMENT DATED 29.03.2023 IN CRL.APPEAL| ||NO.406/2023.| |EXHIBIT P3|A TRUE COPY OF THE ARREST MEMO DATED| ||06.05.2023 PREPARED BY THE POLICE IN| ||CONNECTION WITH THE ARREST OF THE| ||PETITIONER'S HUSBAND.| |EXHIBIT P4|A TRUE COPY OF THE DETENTION ORDER DATED| ||04.05.2023 ISSUED BY THE DISTRICT| ||MAGISTRATE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM.| |EXHIBIT P5|THE TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER OF APPROVAL| ||DATED 12.05.2023 ISSUED BY THE HOME (SSA)| ||DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT OF KERALA.| |EXHIBIT P6|A TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 27.06.2023| ||ISSUED BY THE HOME (SSA) DEPARTMENT| ||CONFIRMING THE ORDER OF THE ADVISORY| ||BOARD, KAA(P)A.| |EXHIBIT P7|A TRUE COPY OF FIR IN CRIME NO.2019/2022.| |EXHIBIT P8|A TRUE COPY OF THE REPORT DATED| ||27.04.2023.| |EXHIBIT P9|A TRUE COPY OF THE REPORT DATED| ||25.04.2023 PREFERRED BY THE SHO, VARKALA.|