The Court held that detention orders under the Act are valid against Indian citizens residing abroad if their actions threaten national security, affirming state's jurisdiction as per legislative provisions.

1. In these petitions the validity of certain proclamations issued by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Madras, under S. 82 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code read with S. 7 (1) (c) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 , on 16-1-1975, is challenged mainly on the ground that the detention orders passed against the petitioners by the State Government under S. 3 of the latter Act which formed the basis for the said impugned proclamations are invalid. These petitions originally came up for hearing before Krishnaswamy Reddy, J., who, after hearing the arguments for some time referred them to a Division Bench, as he felt that the petitions involve constitutional points of considerable public importance. These petitions were then heard by a Division Bench consisting of Paul and Varadarajan, JJ. On account of a difference of opinion between them, they were posted before Natarajan J. as per S. 392 Crl. P. C. Before him it was urged by the State for the first time, that the above petitions which indirectly challenge the validity of the detention orders passed against the petitioners cannot be maintained in view of the decision of the Supreme Court in A. D. M. Jabalpur v. S. Shukla , AIR 1976 SC 1207 : (1976 CriLJ 945). The learned Judge felt that the said question deserves consideration by a Full Bench. He, therefore, referred all the petitions to a Full Bench, and accordingly they have come before us.

2. K. T. M. S. Abdul Khader, the petitioner in Crl. M. P. 445 of 1975, A. M. Ahmed Yaseen, the petitioner in Crl. M. P. 449 of 1975 and B. S. A. Rahman the petitioner in Crl. M. P. 449 of 1975, are alleged to have been smuggling or dealing with smuggled goods. This led the State Government to reasonably apprehend that unless they are detained forthwith, they will continue to indulge in similar activities which may prove a hazard to the safety and security of the country. Hence detention orders were originally passed against each of the petitioners under S. 3 (1) (c) of the Maintenance of Internal Security (Amendment) Ordinance 1974. As the petitioners in each of these petitions left the country even before the passing of the detention orders and continued to live abroad, the warrant of arrest against them could not be executed. Therefore, on a report made by the State Government, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Madras, issued proclamations under S. 82 (1) Crl. P. C., hereinafter referred to as the Code, on 2-12-1974. In the meanwhile the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act 1974, hereinafter referred to as the Act, came into force and fresh orders of detention under the said Act were passed against each of the petitioners on 19-12-1974. As before, the warrants of arrest following the detention orders could not be executed due to the continued absence of the petitioners abroad, and, therefore, at the instance of the State Government, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Madras, had issued fresh proclamation under S. 7 (1) (c) of the Act, read with S. 82 (1) of the Code on 16-1-1975.

3. Before the Division Bench, the principal point urged by the petitioners was that as the Act has no extra - territorial application, the State Government has no power under the Act to pass orders of detention against persons who at the