IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 27.11.2025

CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA

W.P.(Crl.)No.1457 of 2025

K.Muruganandham ... Petitioner

Vs.

1. The Superintendent of of Police,

Cuddalore, Cuddalore District – 607 001.

2. The Revenue Divisional Officer,

Virudhachalam, (Sub Divisional Magistrate and Sub Collector),

Cuddalore District – 606 001.

3. The Deputy Superintendent of of Police, Virudhachalam, Cuddalore District – 606 001.

4. The Inspector of Police,

Karuveppilankurichi Police Station,

Virudhachalam Taluk,

Cuddalore – 606 110. ... Respondents

PRAYER: Writ Petition (Criminal) is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus or direction in the nature of writ, to direct the respondents to remove the petitioner's name from the register of History Sheet vide H.S.No.02/2017, maintained in the fourth respondent Police station, based on the petitioner's representations dated

09.05.2025 and 27.05.2025.

For Petitioner : Mr.A.Suresh Sakthi Murugan For Respondents : Mr.K.M.D.Muhilan Additional Public Prosecutor

O R D E R

The Writ Petition (Criminal) has been filed seeking a direction to the respondents to consider the petitioner's representations and to remove the petitioner's name from the History Sheet in H.S.No.02/2017, by considering the petitioner’s representations dated 09.05.2025 and

27.05.2025.

2. The submissions of the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner are as follows:-

2.1. The petitioner is a social activist who conducted protests for various people issues, due to which, several cases were registered against him. Further, in order to harass the petitioner and restrict his movements, despite there being no further criminal activities on his part, a History Sheeted Rowdy Book was opened against him in H.S.No.02/2017, at the instance of the superior officers in the Police Department.

2.2. Nearly, 20 cases registered against him between the years 2016 and 2020 were quashed by this Court and in one of the cases, he was acquitted by the trial Court.

2.3. However, the petitioner is being compelled to attend the police station under the pretext of enquiry in a routine manner. In this regard, the petitioner made several representations to the respondents from the year 2021 seeking deletion of his name from the History Sheet. Since the said representations have not been considered till date, the present petition has been filed.

3. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor 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 is being periodically extended as per the Police Standing Orders. Hence, he prayed for dismissal of the petition.

4. Having heard the learned counsel appearing on either side and upon perusal of the materials available on record, this Court is of the opinion that 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 germane portion of 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