ANBU AND SHIVAJI Vs. THE DISTRICT MAGISTRATE AND COLLECTOR OF THIRUVANNAMALAI SAMBUVARAYAR DISTRICT, ETC. AND ANOTHER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) BOTH these habeas corpus petitions are disposed of together by a common order, since Petitioners, who are detenus themselves, are stated to be involved in the same ground crime and the argument advanced is also identical.

(2.) H .C.P.2004 of 1993: Petitioner Anbu has been detained as a 'forest offender' under Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1982, in pursuance of an order of detention dated 4.8.1993, passed by the first Respondent, District Magistrate and Collector, Thiruvannamalai Sambuvarayar District at Thiruvannamalai, with a view to preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order and health.

(3.) IN the grounds of detention, Detaining Authority has clearly mentioned that the forest officials left their range office at 6 A.M. on 26.7.1993 and travelled in Government jeeps, bearing Registration Nos. T.N.M.5068 and T.N.M.1148 to reach Pillai Kollai village at 7 a.m. They commenced their journey from Sandavasal Forest range office. After stopping their vehicles, the party was patrolling Aattupurai beat Kinatrangarai by walking in that area. At that time, the special party heard some sound, which made them to suspect that wood was being stacked. When they approached the venue, from which they heard the sound, they noticed certain persons stacking wood into thorny bushes. Detenu and another were arrested, while two others escaped. This arrest is stated to be at 6:45 a.m. on 26.7.1993 at the spot.