PROF KHAIDEM IBOGHA SINGH Vs. STATE OF MANIPUR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The seven petitioners in these writ petitions under Art, 32 of the Constitution, challenge the validity of the orders of detention dated January 31, 1971 passed against each of them by the District Magistrate, Manipur (Central) under sub-s. (2) of S.3 read with sub-section (1) of the Orissa Preventive Detention Act, 1970 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) as extended to Manipur. They seek relief for issue of a writ of Habeas Corpus and for directions being issued to the respondent - the State of Manipur to release them from custody.

(2.) The orders of detention state that they have been passed with a view to preventing the petitioners from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order. The petitioners, in consequence of these orders, were taken into custody and detained. Along with the petitioners another person, Prof. Nandlal Sharma, was also detained. The grounds of detention, as required by S. 7 (1) of the Act were furnished to the detenus on the same day. The order of detention passed against Prof. Nandlal Sharma was later on revoked by the Lt. Governor and he was released.

(3.) The petitioners in Writ petition Nos. 289, 290, 291 and 295 of 1971 are either Masters of Arts (in Political Science) or Masters of Arts, Education and are all Professors of Colleges of Moirang or Imphal. The petitioner in Writ Petition No. 294 of 1971 holds M.Sc, B.Ed., degrees and is an Assistant Head Master in a High School in Imphal. The educational qualifications of the petitioner in Writ Petitions Nos. 292 and 293 are not clear from the records but they claim to be social workers.