DROPTI DEVI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The central issue in this petition under Article 32 of the Constitution concerns constitutional validity of Section 3(1) of Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (for short, 'COFEPOSA') to the extent it empowers the competent authority to make an order of detention against any person 'with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the conservation or augmentation of foreign exchange'.

(2.) It is necessary to state few material facts which have given rise to this petition. The first petitioner Dropti Devi is the mother of second petitioner Raj Kumar Aggarwal. In respect of second petitioner an order of detention has been passed on September 23, 2009 by Smt. Rasheda Hussain, Joint Secretary to the Government of India, specially empowered under Section 3(1) of the COFEPOSA (as amended). The said order reads as follows : <FRM>JUDGEMENT_272_TLPRE0_2012_1.html</FRM>

(3.) The above detention order came to be passed in the backdrop of the following events. On February 17, 2009 the premises of Ambika Electronics situate at 136, MCD Market, Karol Bagh, New Delhi was raided by the Office of the Directorate of Enforcement, New Delhi. In the course of search, Indian currency amounting to Rs. 8.9 lacs (approximately) was recovered along with some documents. The enforcement authorities took into custody the passport of second petitioner (hereinafter referred to as 'detenue') as well. On that day itself, i.e. February 17, 2009 Office of the Directorate of Enforcement also raided the residential premises of detenue's brother Anil Kumar Aggarwal at Pitam Pura, New Delhi and another commercial premises of Ambika Electronics at Beadanpura, Karol Bagh, New Delhi and M/s. Bhagwati Electronics, 135 Municipal Market, Karol Bagh, New Delhi belonging to one Kapil Jindal were also raided. The detenue was also taken away by the officials of the Directorate of Enforcement to their office at Jamnagar House, Akbar Road, New Delhi in the intervening night of February 17, 2009 and February 18, 2009. The detenue was interrogated and his statement was recorded. On February 19, 2009 the detenue retracted from the statement recorded in the previous night. The detenue was summoned on various occasions but he did not appear before the authorities on the ground of his illness. On May 15, 2009 the detenue appeared before the authorities and his statement was recorded on that day and subsequently on May 18, 2009. May 20, 2009 and May 28, 2009. The evidence gathered in the course of searches and the follow up action revealed that the detenue was indulging in hawala activities, the last of such activity being on April 24, 2009. Hence, the detention order which has been quoted above.