JUDGMENT

K. Jayacbandra Reddy, J. - The petitioner, who is himself the detenu, was detained under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Slum Grabbers Act, 1982 ('Tamilnadu Act' for short). He challenged the detention order before the High Court by filing a writ of habeas corpus and the same was dismissed. Questioning the same, he has filed S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 2685193 in this Court. He has also filed Writ Petition (Crl.) No. 364/93 under Article 32 of the Constitution in this Court and both are being disposed of together by a common judgment.

2. The petitioner is a resident of Madras City. On 16.2.1993 he was detained under Section 3 of the Tamilnadu Act in order to prevent him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order, by an order passed by the Commissioner of Police, Madras. The grounds of detention in support of the order were served on the petitioner in jail on 20.2.1993. In both these petitions, common grounds challenging the detention have been advanced. Before we proceed to consider the same, it is necessary to refer to the relevant p