SAEED Vs. DISTT MAGISTRATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Through this petition, the petitioner has challenged the detention order 1.7.2003 passed by the respondent no. 1, District Magistrate, Kanpur Nagar under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980 and his continued detention thereunder.

(2.) The grounds of detention are contained in annexure 5 to the writ petition. The detention order is based on an incident of case crime no. 101 of 2003, P.S. Colonelganj, District Kanpur Nagar, the F.I.R. of which was lodged on 5.5.2003 at 11.30 A.M. by Mukhtar Ahmed son of Ayub, r/o 101/384, P.S. Colonelganj, Kanpur Nagar. The incident had taken place on that day at about 10 A.M. in front of Salar Bux in Indira Market. The informants brother Jamshed had been shot dead. The petitioner with three others had allegedly opened shots on the victim who was on a motor-cycle. His motor-cycle fell down and he ran towards Indira Market to save himself but the petitioner and his companions chased and zeroed on him, assaulting him by knife and fire-arm. As a result, he sus-tained serious injuries. The informant on getting information from someone at his house, rushed to the spot and finding his brother lying in precariously injured condition, rushed him to Ursala Hospital but he died by the time he could be taken there. The incident had created terror and panic in the affected market and area. The people started running helter-skelter. The shopkeepers downed their shutters. Even tempo of the public life was badly disturbed. The petitioner and his associates had allegedly run away from the spot, flaunting their weapons after committing the crime. The incident was flashed in prominent newspapers the next day. The business community of the area was scared. Additional police force had to be deployed to control the situation and restore confidence in the people around. The petitioner surrendered in the Court on 9.5.2003 and on 19.5.2003 the police obtained his remand. He then allegedly got recovered the countrymade pistol from a place between G.I.C. and the office of B.S.A. Kanpur Dehat from beneath a Bargad tree. The countrymade pistol contained an empty cartridge. Another case crime no. 110 of 2003 under section 25/27 Arms Act was also registered against him on 19.5.2003. The place where the murder was committed, was a busy business centre of readymade clothes with dense population. It was also stated in the grounds of detention that the petitioner was making efforts to get himself released on bail and on being released he was likely to indulge in serious heinous offences which would prejudicially affect the public order. Counter and rejoinder affidavits have been exchanged.

(3.) We have heard Sri Babu Ram Gupta, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri Arvind Tripathi learned A.G.A on behalf of respondents no. 1, 2 and 5 and Sri J. Lal, learned counsel for respondent no. 3 Union of India.