N.V. Ramana, J.

The petitioner, who claims to be the son of the detenu, namely Vepagunta Nagaiah, who is now detained in Central Prison, Cherlapally, has filed this writ petition praying the Court to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, directing the respondents to produce the detenu before this Court and set him at liberty forthwith.

The Divisional Forest Officer, Wild Life Management Division, Tiruputi, informed respondent No.1, namely the Collector and District Magistrate, Chittoor (hereinafter referred to as 'the Detaining Authority') that the detenu since last seven years has been committing forest offences, namely illicit felling of red sanders, smuggling them to secret and unknown places in India and abroad. He is involved in eight forest offences, namely in O.R. Nos. 177/2010-11, dated 14.02.2010; 126/2009-10, dated 26.02.2010; 217/2010-11, dated 31.03.2010 and 20/2012-13, dated 20.04.2012 of Flying Squad Division, Tirupati -O.R. Nos. 17/2011-12, dated 25.04.2010; 26/2011-12, dated 02.05.2011; 108/2011-12, dated 05.10.2011 and 249/2011-12, dated 24.03.2011 of S.V. National Park Range, Wild Life Management, Tirupati. The said cases were registered against the detenu for t