The court held that maintaining a rowdy history sheet based on a single case from 2001, where the petitioner was acquitted and is now an aged person with no further criminal involvement, is unjustified and violates personal liberty.

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased topleased to issue any writ or order or direction, more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the 4th respondent in opening and continuing a rowdy history sheet/rowdy sheet against the petitioner on the basis of Crime No. 185 of 2001 of Eluru II Town L and O Police Station, Eluru, as illegal, arbitrary and in violation of the petitioner's fundamental right of privacy and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents to close the rowdy history sheet/rowdy sheet opened and maintained against the petitioner in the records of L and O III Town Police Station, Eluru District, and to remove his name from all rowdy/history sheet registers and surveillance records, in the interest of justice, and pass

IA NO: 1 OF 2026

Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased pleased to direct the respondents not to summon or call the petitioner to the police station as part of surveillance or otherwise on the basis of the rowdy history sheet/rowdy sheet opened against the petitioner pending disposal of the writ petition, and pass

The Court made the following:

ORDER:

The petitioner has challenged rowdy sheet opened and continued against the present petitioner by the Respondent-Authority.

2. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner is aged about 60 years and has not involved in any alleged offence till today. Hence, the continuation of the rowdy sheet for such a long period is liable to be quashed.

3. The respondent No.3 has filed a counter-affidavit. Upon perusal of the same, it appears that the present petitioner was involved in Cr.No.185 of 2001, which was disposed of by acquitting the petitioner in the year 2002.

4 The respondent-authority opened and continued rowdy sheet on the ground that there was a possibility of the petitioner being suspected of the commission of further crime or being a habitual offender.

5. The petitioner is presently aged about 60 years old, and the last case registered against him was in the year 2001, in which he was acquitted in the year 2002.

6. Considering the entire nature of peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and also recording the counter-affidavit filed by the respondent No.3, I think it necessary that the petitioner, being an aged person, required to be dealt with leniently.

7. Accordingly, rowdy sheet issued and continued against the present petitioner is hereby quashed and the instant writ petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs.

As a sequel, miscellaneous applications pending, if any, shall stand closed.