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2021 Supreme(Telangana) 206

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD
A.Rajasheker Reddy, Shameem Akther, JJ.
Qamar – Petitioner
Versus
The State of Telangana – Respondent
Writ Petition No.6562 of 2021
Decided On : 12-07-2021

Headnote:

Constitution of India, 1950 - Article 21 - Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Land-Grabbers, Spurious Seed offenders, Insecticide Offenders, Fertilizer Offenders, Food Adulteration Offenders, Fake Document offenders, Scheduled Commodities Offenders, Forest Offenders, Gaming Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Explosive Substances Offenders, Arms Offenders, Cyber Crime Offenders & White Collar or Financial Offenders Act, 1986 - Section 2(v), 3(2) – Indian Penal code, 1860 - 354, 354-A, 354-B, 354-C, 354-D, 376, 376-A, 376-B, 376-D, 377 and 509 - Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 - Public tranquility - Grounds of detention - Sexual offender - Disturbing public order - According to respondent No.2, detenu is a ‘sexual offender’- He has been habitually committing shameful and inhuman offences of Extortion, Assault or use of criminal force to women with intent to disrobe, Cheating, Voyeurism, Stalking, Criminal intimidation, against college going girls and married women and creating large scale fear and panic among general public in locality concerned, especially college going girls and married women, and acting in a manner prejudicial to maintenance of public order apart from disturbing peace and tranquility in society - Whether impugned detention order liable to be set aside – Held, while expression "law and order" is wider in scope inasmuch as contravention of law always affects order, "public order" has a narrower ambit, and public order could be affected by only such contravention which affects community or public at large - It is potentiality of act to disturb even tempo of life of community which makes it prejudicial to maintenance of public order - If a contravention in its effect is confined only to a few individuals directly involved as distinct from a wide spectrum of public, it could raise problem of law and order only - It is length, magnitude and intensity of terror wave unleashed by a particular eruption of disorder that helps to distinguish it as an act affecting "public order" from that concerning "law and order" - Having regard to modus operandi of detenu and three crimes registered against him in quick succession, respondent No.2, has rightly held that detenu is a ‘sexual offender’ and recorded his satisfaction that activities of detenu are prejudicial to maintenance of public order, and that ordinary law may not be an effective deterrent to prevent detenu from indulging in further prejudicial activities - Writ Petition dismissed.

ORDER :

Shameem Akther, J.

Smt. Qamar, the petitioner, has filed this Habeas Corpus petition on behalf of her son, Mohammed Aslam @ Ashu, S/o. Late Salam, aged 22 years, the detenu, challenging the detention order, dated 11.12.2020, passed by the Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda Commissionerate, the respondent No.2, and the subsequent confirmation order in G.O.Rt.No.389, General Administration (Spl. (Law & Order)) Department, Government of Telangana, dated 18.02.2021, passed by the Principal Secretary to Government, General Administration (Spl. (Law & Order)) Department, Government of Telangana, the respondent No.1, whereby, the detenu was detained under Section 3(2) of the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Land-Grabbers, Spurious Seed offenders, Insecticide Offenders, Fertilizer Offenders, Food Adulteration Offenders, Fake Document offenders, Scheduled Commodities Offenders, Forest Offenders, Gaming Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Explosive Substances Offenders, Arms Offenders, Cyber Crime Offenders & White Collar or Financial Offenders Act, 1986 (for short "P.D. Act").

2. We have heard the submissions of Smt. G.Jaya Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri T.Srikanth Reddy, learned Government Pleader for Home appearing on behalf of Additional Advocate General for the respondents and perused the record.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner has vehemently contended that the impugned detention order is illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional, improper, against the principles of natural justice and has been passed in a mechanical manner and without application of mind. The detenu is falsely implicated in the three criminal cases relied upon by the detaining authority for preventively detaining him. Admittedly, in all the three cases relied upon by the detaining authority, the detenu was granted bail by the Courts concerned. But, the detenu was again sent to judicial remand by invoking the draconian preventive detention laws. Further, the grounds on which the impugned detention order is passed are vague, stale and remote. All the three cases relied upon by the detaining authority for preventively detaining the detenu are at threshold and the guilt of the detenu is not yet been proved. Hence, the conclusion reached by the detaining authority that the detenu is a habitual offender, is without any basis. By no stretch of imagination, the acts alleged against the detenu in the grounds of detention could affect public tranquility. Further, there must be close proximity between the criminal actions of the detenu and the detention order. The subjective satisfaction reached by the detaining authority in passing the impugned detention order is tainted. Further, the cases alleged against the detenu do not add up to “disturbing the public order”. They are confined within the ambit and scope of the word “law and order”. Since the offences alleged, as grave as they may be, are under the Penal Code and special law, the detenu can certainly be tried and convicted under the Penal Code and special law. Thus, there was no need for the detaining authority to invoke the draconian preventive detention laws. Hence, the impugned detention order tantamounts to colourable exercise of power. The detaining authority has to be extremely careful while passing the detention order, since the detention ipso facto adversely affects the fundamental right of personal liberty enjoyed by the people under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Thus, the impugned detention order and the consequential confirmation order are legally unsustainable and ultimately, prayed to set aside the same and allow the writ petition as prayed for.

4. On the other hand, the learned Government Pleader for Home representing the respondents would contend that the detenu is a ‘sexual offender’. He has been habitually involving in stalking of women, induce them to do nude whatsapp calls, capture thei

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