JUDGMENT

S. B. MAJMUDAR, S. L. TALATI, J.

( 1 ) IN these two special criminal applications the concerned petitioners have prayed for a writ of habeas corpus or any other suitable writ under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for setting them at liberty by quashing the orders passed by the first respondent State of preventively detaining them in exercise of powers conferred on them by section 3 (1) of the Prevention of Blackmarketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act 1980 hereinafter referred to as the Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

( 2 ) FACTS leading to Spl. Cr. Application No. 345/84. THE petitioner is working as a paid manager of one Shiv Shakti Consumers Co-operative Society Limited hereinafter referred to as the society. The said society employer of the petitioner is distributing controlled cloth as it is recognised by the Government as a wholesale dealer as well as a retail dealer under different licences. The society is governed by the provisions of the Gujarat Co-operative Societies Act 1961 The controlled cloth was received by the society for distribution. During the working of the society certain illegalities and irregularities were noticed by t