Judgment

SARKARIA, J.:- The petitioner, Ram Ranjan Chatterjee, challenges the order of his detention dated 8-12-1973 made under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act, by the District Magistrate, Purulia. The order states that "with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order, it is necessary so to do." It is founded on three grounds which run as under :

"1. On 3-6-1973 at about 19.00 hrs. at village Kotaldi, a thickly populated area, under P. S. Santuri, District Purulia, you with your associates were illegally manufacturing bombs for unlawful purposes from dangerous explosive in your possession when an explosion took place causing fatal injury to one of your associates - Sova Gope (s/o Late Chandi Gope) of Kataldi, P. S. Santuri. You and your associates act of preparing bombs presumably for criminal operations as given out by you and your associates and the explosion taking place in a thickly populated area, created panic amongst the local people and further threatened the local people with dire consequences even upto causing death, if they informed police of your above said activity. This act of you and your ass