IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 02-12-2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA

Puratchivazhavan

Petitioner

Vs

1. The Superintendent of Police,

O/o The Superintendent of Police,

Mailaduthurai District.

2.The Deputy Superintendent of Police

O/o The Deputy Superintendent of Police,

Seerkazhi Sub-Division,

Mailaduthurai District.

3.The Inspector of Police Seerkazhi Police Station,

Mailaduthurai District.

Respondents

PRAYER Writ Petition (Criminal) filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to remove the petitioner’s name in the History Sheet H.S.No.408 of 2019 maintaining by

the 3^rd respondent in pursuant to petitioner representation dated 25.09.2025.

For Petitioner: Mr.P.Muthamizhselvakumar

For Respondents: Mr.S.Santhosh,

Government Advocate (Crl. Side)

ORDER

The Writ Petition (Criminal) has been filed seeking a direction to the

3^rd respondent to consider the petitioner’s representation dated 25.09.2025 and

to remove the petitioner’s name from the History Sheet in H.S.No.408 of 2019 maintained by the 3^rd respondent.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is a farmer, doing cultivation work in his own fields and his father is a former District President of one of the political parties. When his father attended a political party protest and rally, the petitioner also accompanied them and hence, the 3^rd respondent registered a case in the year 2020. Still, the 3^rd respondent, in order to harass the petitioner and restrict his movements, opened a History Sheeted Rowdy Book against him in H.S.No.408 of 2019 despite there being no further criminal activities on his part. The petitioner is also being compelled to attend the police station under the pretext of enquiry in a routine manner. In this regard, the petitioner made a representation dated 25.09.2025 to the respondents seeking deletion of his name from the History Sheet. However, the said representation has not been considered till date. Hence, the present writ petition has been filed.

3. The learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side) appearing for the respondents submitted that the petitioner is a habitual offender indulging in rowdy activities, extortion, etc. Therefore, a History Sheeted Rowdy Book was opened against him and the same is being periodically extended as per the Police Standing Orders. Hence, he prays for dismissal of the petition.

4. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side) appearing for the respondents and perused the materials available on record.

5. The issue involved in this Writ Petition has already been dealt with by the Madurai Bench of this Court, wherein a detailed order was passed in W.P.(MD) No.19651 of 2017 on 26.09.2018. Based on the said order, the Director General Of Police, Chennai issued a circular in Rc.No. 66569/Crime

3(2)/2019 dated 24.04.2019, the relevant portion which reads as follows :-

“7.From the above judgments the following principles emerge insofar as history sheeters are concerned:

a. In order to facilitate the study of crime and criminals, the Police Standing Orders provides a mechanism, whereby every Police Station shall maintain a crime history, which shall be a confidential record. In this record all cases of crime that are mentioned in PSO No.742, which provides various classes of crime, shall be entered and even an attempt to commit those offences, are entered in the records maintained in the Police Station.

b. These crime records maintained by the Various Police Stations shall be reviewed every year by the Inspector of Police of the concerned Police Station. On such review, the Inspector of Police has to furnish a concise appreciation of the year's crime for the benefit of the Superior Officers and also to make suggestions in order to improve the quality of crime control. The review undertaken by the Inspector of Police is not merely a catalo