IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS Dated : 22.3.2011 C O R A M The Honourable Mr. Justice C.NAGAPPAN and The Honourable Mr. Justice P.R.SHIVAKUMAR Habeas Corpus Petition No. 1609 of 2010 Syed Moosa Kadari .. Petitioner -Vs- 1. The State of Tamilnadu Rep by the Secretary to Government Public (SC) Department Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009. 2. Union of India Rep by its Secretary to the Government Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue (COFEPOSA Unit) Central Economic Intelligence Bureau Janpath Bhavan, VI Floor, 'B' Wing, Janpath, New Delhi 110 001. 3. The Superintendent of Central Prison Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai 600 066. .. Respondents Prayer: Petition filed to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus calling for records relating to the Detention Order in G.O.No.SR.1/325-4/2010 dated 10.7.2010 passed by R1 quashing the same and directing the respondents to produce the body of the person of the detenu Syed Moosa Kadari, son of Moideen Bawa now detained in Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai as COFEPOSA detenu before this Hon'ble Court and set him at liberty forthwith. For petitioner : Mr. I.Subramanian, Senior Counsel for Mr.M.A.Kalam For R1 and R3 : Mr. A.D.Jagadish Chandira Additional Public Prosecutor For R2 : Mr. K.Ravichandra Babu Senior Central Govt. Standing Counsel ORDER
(The Order of the Court was delivered by C.NAGAPPAN, J.)
The detenu Syed Moosa Kadari has challenged the order of detention in G.O.No.SR.1/325-4/2010 Public (SC) Department, dated 10.7.2010, made by the first respondent detaining him under Section 3(1)(i) of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974.
2. The facts which led to detention, in brief, are as follows:
Thiru. Syed Moosa Kadari, using Import and Export Code of Thiru. P.Mohan in the name of M/s.Indra Electronic Services, imported two consignments covered under Bill of Entry No.148885 dated 15.3.2010 and Bill of Entry No.149090 dated 15.3.2010 and the consignments were examined on 17.3.2010 in the presence of witnesses and Custom House Agent and in total, 74 numbers of D90 Nikkon Digital Still Image Cameras were found concealed in D40 Nikkon Digital Still Image Camera boxes and they were seized under Mahazar. Thiru. Syed Moosa Kadari was arrested on 6.4.2010 and remanded to judicial custody on the same day and he filed bail petition dated 6.4.2010 and the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, E.O.I, Egmore, Chennai, enlarged Thiru. Syed Moosa Kadari on bail by Order dated 9.4.2010 with a condition and the condition was relaxed by Order dated 11.5.2010. The detention order was clamped on Thiru. Syed Moosa Kadari on 10.7.2010 and that is being challenged in this petition.
3. Though several grounds have been raised in the affidavit filed in support of the Habeas Corpus Petition, Thiru I.Subramanian, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner, submits that the order of detention is liable to be set aside on the sole ground that the detaining authority has placed substantial and complete reliance on two confessional statements given by the detenue to arrive at a subjective satisfaction for clamping the Order of detention and the retraction of the confessional statements by the detenue in his bail petition dated 6.4.2010 and in the two subsequent representations sent through counsel was not considered by the detaining authority while passing the detention order and the grounds of detention do not disclose that the detaining authority was alive to the factum of retraction and there is non-application of mind to this vital aspect and the detention order is vitiated.
4. We also heard Mr.A.D.Jagadish Chandira, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for respondents 1 and 3 and Mr.K.Ravichandra babu, learned Senior Central Government Standing Counsel, appearing for the second respondent on the above said submission.
5. In his bail petition filed on 6.4.2010 the detenu has stated thus “The petitioner submit that he retract the statement given under threat, coercion, undue influence. So hereby retract as ‘involuntary one’ “. In the subsequent representations, sent through counsel, dated 13.4.2010 and 19.4.2010, it is stated that the detenu did not make any voluntary statement and the same were obtained under coercion, threat and undue influence and he retracts the statement as involuntary one.
6. In para 1 (ix) of the grounds of detention the detaining authority has referred to the bail petition of the detenu dated 6.4.2010 and observed that the detenu pleaded innocence and requested to be released on bail. The bail petition had not been taken note of in the context of the retraction contained in it. We do not find anywhere in the grounds of detention evidence regarding the detaining authority being alive to the fact that the detenu had retracted his confession statement in his bail petition dated 6.4.2010, leave aside the retraction in the subsequent representations sent through counsel. The mere reference to the bail petition in para 1 (ix) of the grounds of detention is not sufficient. The detaining authority ought to have been alive to the factum of retraction.
7. In support of his submission, strong reliance was placed by the learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner on the decision of the Division Bench of this Court in ARUN KUMAR SONI v.. UNION OF INDIA [1992 CRI.L.J. 3531]. In that case, the bail petition had not been taken note of in the context of retraction contained in it and the Division Bench held that once the confession statement is sought to be used, the detaining authority must be aware, if the confession is retracted. For better appreciation, the relevant observations made by the Division Bench are extracted below:
” 8. On facts, a too detailed discussion, does not appear to be called for. The detaining authority obviously was aware of the enunciation of law, that he should be alive to the fact of retraction of confessions, when confessions were taken note of, to arrive at subjective satisfaction. That is exactly the reason why the detaining authority has specifically considered the retraction letter from another individual who was involved in the same transaction, in paragraph 14 of the grounds and has specifically observed in, paragraph 15, that after having taken into consideration the allegations contained in the aforesiad retraction and replies threto he was satisfied that the allegations were devoid of merit. In paragraph 13 of the grounds of detention the detaining authority has referred to the bail application of the detenu, only in the context of his arrest, production before the concerned Magistrate, remand and his continuance in custody, in view of the rejection of the bail plea. Bail application had not been taken note of in the context of the retraction contained in it. If the order of detention is based on the confessional statement of the detenu, it wil be too difficult to comprehend, that only when the word ‘voluntary’ is used, application of mind, to retraction would arise and not otherwise. Once the confession is sought to be used, detaining authority must be aware, if the confession is retracted. In spite of retraction, it may still be possible for the detaining authority to arrive at a subjective satisfaction to preventively detain the detenu, after being alive to the said fact. To our mind ‘expression of reaction’ appears to be different from ‘awareness of fact’. ‘Awareness of fact’ is the availability of retraction, which should be taken note of. The effect of retraction, taken note of by the detaining authority, while arriving at his subjective satisfaction, will be the reaction, which, need not be made explicit, but awareness of the fact of retraction must get reflected in the grounds of detention…..
9. ….. We are satisfied, that in view of the detaining authority not having been alive to the fact of retraction of the confession by the detenu in his bail application dt.30-8-91, the impugned order of detention cannot be sustained. The same is set aside and the detenu is directed to be released forthwith unless his detention is otherwise required.”
8. In the present case, even though the copy of the bail petition was very much before the detaining authority, the grounds of detention do not disclose that the detaining authority was alive to the fact that the detenu has retracted his confession statement. There is non-application of mind to this vital aspect of the matter which, if considered, may have influenced the mind of the detainng authority one way or the other. We are in entire agreement with the view taken by the Division Bench in the above said decision. The impugned order of detention stands vitiated on the ground of non-application of mind and is liable to be set aside.
9. Accordingly, the Habeas Corpus Petition is allowed and the impugned order of detention dated 10.7.2010 is set aside and the detenu Thiru. Syed Moosa Kadari is ordered to be set at liberty forthwith, unless his continued custody is required in connection with any other case.
pb
To
1. The State of Tamilnadu
Rep by the Secretary to Government
Public (SC) Department
Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009.
2. Union of India
Rep by its Secretary to the Government
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue, COFEPOSA Unit
New Delhi 110 001.
3. The Superintendent of Central Prison
Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai 600 066.
4. The Public Prosecutor,
High Court,
Madras