2018 Supreme(Guj) 785
IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
A.J. SHASTRI, J.
Arbaz Imtiyazbhai Shekh - Appellant
Vs.
Commissioner of Police - Respondent
Special Civil Application No. 11480 of 2018
Decided On : 21-08-2018
Chirag H Parekh, Adv., Bharat Vyas, Adv.
Headnote:
Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Section 380 - Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, 1985 - Section 3(2) - Arms Act - Section 25(1)(b)(a) - G.P. Act - Section 135(1) - Maintenance of public order - Learned advocate for the detenue submits that the order of detention impugned in this petition deserves to be quashed and set aside on the ground of registration of two offences by itself cannot bring the case of the detenue within the purview of definition under section 2(c) of the Act - Held, From the various decisions of the Supreme Court referred to above, it could easily be said that the detaining authority has failed to substantiate that the alleged antisocial activities of the detenu affect adversely or are likely to affect adversely the maintenance of public order - It is true that there is a very thin line between the question of law and order situation and a public order situation, and some times, the acts of a person relating to law and order situation can turn into a question of public order situation - Potentiality of the act has to be examined in the light of the surrounding circumstances, posterior and anterior - Just because one case has been registered against the detenu of the offence under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code and two in-camera statements have been recorded of the witnesses whose identity has not been disclosed, by itself do not have any bearing on the maintenance of the public order - Detenu may be punished for the offence which has been registered against him but, surely, the acts constituting the offence cannot be said to have affected the even tempo of the life of the community - Petition allowed. (Para 11)
A.J. Shastri, J.
Heard learned advocates appearing for the respective parties.
2. The present petition is directed against order of detention dated 01.05.2018 passed by the respondent detaining authority in exercise of powers conferred under section 3(2) of the Gujarat Prevention of Anti Social Activities Act, 1985 (for short "the Act") by detaining the petitioner detenue as defined under section 2(c) of the Act.
3. Learned advocate for the detenue submits that the order of detention impugned in this petition deserves to be quashed and set aside on the ground of registration of two offences under Section 380 of the Indian Penal Code, 25(1)(b)(a) of the Arms Act and Section 135(1) of the G.P. Act, by itself cannot bring the case of the detenue within the purview of definition under section 2(c) of the Act. Further, learned advocate for the detenue submits that illegal activity likely to be carried out or alleged to have been carried out, as alleged, cannot have any nexus or bearing with the maintenance of public order and at the most, it can be said to be breach of law and order. Further, except statement of witnesses, registration of above FIR/s and Panchnama drawn in pursuance of the investigation, no other relevant and cogent material is on record connecting alleged anti-social activity of the detenue with breach of public order. Learned advocate for the petitioner further submits that it is not possible to hold on the basis of the facts of the present case that activity of the detenue with respect to the criminal cases had affected even tempo of the society causing threat to the very existence of normal and routine life of people at large or that on the basis of criminal cases, the detenue had put the entire social apparatus in disorder, making it difficult for whole system to exist as a system governed by rule of law by disturbing public order.
4. Learned AGP for the respondent State supported the detention order passed by the authority and submitted that sufficient material and evidence was found during the course of investigation, which was also supplied to the detenue indicate that detenue is in habit of indulging into the activity as defined under section 2(c) of the Act and considering the facts of the case, the detaining authority has rightly passed the order of detention and detention order deserves to be upheld by this Court.
5. Having heard learned advocates for the parties and considering the facts and circumstances of the case, it appears that the subjective satisfaction arrived at by the detaining authority cannot be said to be legal, valid and in accordance with law, inasmuch as the offences alleged in the FIR/s cannot have any baring on the public order as required under the Act and other relevant penal laws are sufficient enough to take care of the situation and that the allegations as have been levelled against the detenue cannot be said to be germane for the purpose of bringing the detenue within the meaning of section 2(c) of the Act. Unless and until, the material is there to make out a case that the person has become a threat and menace to the Society so as to disturb the whole tempo of the society and that all social apparatus is in peril disturbing public order at the instance of such person, it cannot be said that the detenue is a person within the meaning of section 2(c) of the Act. Except general statements, there is no material on record which shows that the detenue is acting in such a manner, which is dangerous to the public order.
6. Further, The essential concept of the preventive detention is that the detention of a person is not to punish him for something he has done but to prevent him from doing it. The basis of detention is the satisfaction of the executive of a reasonable probability of the likelihood of the detenu acting in a manner similar to his past acts and preventing him by detention from doing the same. A criminal conviction on the other hand is for an act already don