JOSEPH Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Not with standing the caution administered in many binding precedents of the need of the detaining authority to properly apply its mind to the relevant facts before passing an order of preventive detention and of the need for those reasons to get reflected in the order of detention, we are again called upon in this case to consider the grievance of the Petitioner that there has been no proper application of mind and that such application of mind is not, at any rate, reflected in the order of detention or in any contemporaneous records. We are disturbed that there is room for such contentions too frequently before us and that in spite of the several earlier precedents, the administrative executive has not still been trained and educated of the need to pass a proper order of detention before a citizen is deprived of his most sacrosanct and cherished constitutional right of personal freedom and liberty. We may repeat that if the legislative concern to protect the citizen by curbing anti-social activities of known rowdies and known goondas is to achieve its result, the wielders of administrative power will have to be trained and equipped to discharge their very solemn responsibilities under the KAAPA with clinical precision and expertise.

(2.) The Petitioner has come to this Court with this petition for issue of a writ of habeas corpus to cause the production and direct the release of his son Binil Joseph (hereinafter referred to as 'the detenu') who stands preventively detained by Ext. P1 order dated 13.5.10 passed by the 2nd Respondent - District Magistrate, under Section 3 of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 2007 (hereinafter referred to as 'the KAAPA'). The detenu, a young man aged 24 years, a student, was taken into custody in execution of Ext. P1 order on 17.5.10. Order of approval under Section 3(3) of the KAAPA and order of confirmation under Section 10(4) of the KAAPA have already been passed and the detenu will have to continue in custody till 17.11.10, it is submitted and conceded.

(3.) The detenu has been classified as a 'known rowdy'. It is alleged that he is involved in 6 crimes, details of which are given below in the tabular form: <p><TABLE class = tablestyle width="82%" border=2 align="center" cellspacing=2 cellpadding=2 style="font-family:Verdana"> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> SI. No. </td> <td width=149 valign=top> Crime No. & Police Station</td> <td width=118 valign=top> Date of occurrence</td> <td width=100 valign=top> Offences Under Section</td> <td width=113 valign=top> Rank of the detenu in the array of accused</td> <td width=171 valign=top> Current status' of the case</td> </tr> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> 1. </td> <td width=149 valign=top> 10/2007 of Varappuzha Police Station</td> <td width=118 valign=top> 14.1.2007</td> <td width=100 valign=top> 143, 147, 148, 323, 324, 326, 427 r/w 149 I.P.C. </td> <td width=113 valign=top> A4 orginally not named in F.I.R. Added as accused on 16.1.2007 </td> <td width=171 valign=top> Charge sheeted. Pending as C.C. 156/2008 before JFCM-1 North Paravur.</td> </tr> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> 2. </td> <td width=149 valign=top> 155/2007 of Varappuzha Police Station</td> <td width=118 valign=top> 25.6.2007</td> <td width=100 valign=top> 341, 323, 324 r/w 34 I.P.C. </td> <td width=113 valign=top> A2 </td> <td width=171 valign=top> Charge sheeted. Pending as C.C. 341/2008 before JFCM-1 North Paravur</td> </tr> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> 3. </td> <td width=149 valign=top> 91/2007 of Varappuzha Police Station</td> <td width=118 valign=top> 15.4.2007</td> <td width=100 valign=top> 143, 147, 148, 323, 324, 326, 307 r/w 149 I.P.C. & Sections 20 & 27 of Arms Act </td> <td width=113 valign=top> A6 orginally not named in F.I.R. </td> <td width=171 valign=top> Charge sheeted. Pending as S.C. 142/09 before Addl. Sessions Court (Adhoc-III), North Paravur</td> </tr> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> 4. </td> <td width=149 valign=top> 33/2010 of Varappuzha Police Station</td> <td width=118 valign=top> 17.1.2010</td> <td width=100 valign=top> 143, 147, 148, 323, 324, 326, 307 r/w 149 I.P.C. </td> <td width=113 valign=top> A7 orginally not named in F.I.R. </td> <td width=171 valign=top> Charge sheeted on 31.3.10 before JFCM-1, North Paravur. No number</td> </tr> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> 5. </td> <td width=149 valign=top> 116/2010 of North Paravur Police Station</td> <td width=118 valign=top> 18.1.2010</td> <td width=100 valign=top> 143, 147, 148, 323, 324, 307 r/w 149 I.P.C. </td> <td width=113 valign=top> A2 </td> <td width=171 valign=top> Under investigation</td> </tr> <tr> <td width=97 valign=top> 6. </td> <td width=149 valign=top> 196/2010 of Aluva Police Station. (Not taken into consideration by the Detaining Authority)</td> <td width=118 valign=top> 19.1.2010</td> <td width=100 valign=top> 225(b) of I.P.C.</td> <td width=113 valign=top> Sole Accused</td> <td width=171 valign=top> Charge sheeted on 13.3.2010 before JFCM-1, Aluva. No number.</td> </tr></TABLE>