Munagala Yadamma Vs.
State of A.P. & Ors.
[Criminal Appeal
No.67 of 2012 @ SLP (CRL) No(S).8114 of 2011]
O R D E R
1.
Leave
granted.
2.
The
appellant's husband, Shri Munagala Anjaiah, son of Gandaian, resident of Ranga
Reddy District in Andhra Pradesh, was served with a Detention Order dated 15th February,
2011, under Section 3(1) read with Section 2A and B of the Andhra Pradesh Prevention
of Dangerous Activities of Boot Leggers Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral
Traffic Offenders and Land Grabbers Act, 1986.
3.
In
the Detention Order, the Detaining Authority indicated that the detenue was a
bootlegger within the meaning of Section 2(b) of the aforesaid Act and that recourse
to normal legal procedure would involve more time and would not be an effective
deterrent in preventing the detenue from indulging in further prejudicial
activities.
4.
It
has been mentioned that the detenue was involved in several cases of violation of
the provisions of Section 7A read with Section 8(C) of the Andhra Pradesh
Prohibition Act, 1995, involving illicit distillation of liquor.
5.
The
Detention Order passed by the Collector and District Magistrate, Ranga Reddy District,
was questioned by the wife of the detenue by way of WP No.13313 of 2011 before the
Andhra Pradesh High Court, which dismissed the same on the ground that under the
normal laws, it would be difficult to check the activities of the detenue and, accordingly,
the order of detention was justified.
6.
The
order of the High Court has been challenged before us in this appeal.
7.
On
behalf of the appellant, it has been urged that the ground taken for issuance
of the Detention Order was improper and not available in view of the reasoned judgment
of this Court in the case of Rekha Vs. State of Tamil Nadu through Secretary to
Government and Anr., 2011(5)SCC 244, where a similar question had arisen and in
paragraph 23 of the judgment, a three-Judge Bench of this Court was of the view
that criminal cases were already going on against the detenue under various
provisions of the Penal Code, 1860, as well as under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,
1940, and that if he was found guilty, he would be convicted and given appropriate
sentence. Their Lordships also indicated that in their opinion, the ordinary
law of the land was sufficient to deal with the situation, and hence, recourse to
the preventive detention law was illegal.
8.
It
has been submitted by Mr. Anil Kumar Tandale, learned advocate appearing for the
appellant, that in the instant case also all the offences alleged to have been committed
by the husband of the appellant, were under the provisions of the A.P. Prohibition
Act, 1995, for which the normal law was sufficient to deal with the offence, if
proved. He submitted that the Detaining Authority had wrongfully taken the easy
way out and had resorted to an order of preventive detention in order to avoid having
to investigate the cases filed against the appellant.
9.
On
behalf of the State of Andhra Pradesh, another decision of a two-Judge Bench of
this Court in the case of G.Reddelah Vs. The Govt.of Andhra Pradesh and Anr., Crl.A.67/12
[2011(10)SCALE 224], was brought to our notice, in which while referring to the
three-Judge Bench decision in Rekha's case (supra) their Lordships were of the opinion
that in view of the factual position and the enormous activities of the detenue,
violating various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition
Act and Rules, continuous and habitual pursuing of the same type of offences damaging
the wealth of the nation, the decision in Rekha's case (supra) was not applicable
to the facts of the said case. Accordingly, the order passed by the Detaining Authority,
as approved by the Division Bench and upheld by the High Court, did not require
any interference.
10.
Having
considered the submissions made on behalf of the respective parties, we are unable
to accept the submissions made on behalf of the State in view of the fact that the
decision in Rekha's case (supra), in our view, clearly covers the facts of this
case as well. The offences complained of against the appellant are of a nature
which can be dealt with under the ordinary law of the land. Taking recourse to
the provisions of preventive detention is contrary to the constitutional guarantees
enshrined in Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution and sufficient grounds have
to be made out Crl.A.67/12 by the detaining authorities to invoke such
provisions.
In fact, recently, in
Criminal Appeal No.26 of 2012, Yumman Ongbi Lembi Leima Vs. State of Manipur &
Ors., we had occasion to consider the same issue and the three-Judge Bench had held
that the personal liberty of an individual is the most precious and prized
right guaranteed under the Constitution in Part III thereof.
The State has been granted
the power to curb such rights under criminal laws, as also under the laws of
preventive detention, which, therefore, are required to be exercised with due caution
as well as upon a proper appreciation of the facts as to whether such acts are
in any way prejudicial to the interest and the security of the State and its citizens,
or seek to disturb public law and order, warranting the issuance of such an
order.
11.
No
doubt, the offences alleged to have been committed by the appellant are such as
to attract punishment under the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition Act, but that in our
view has to be done under the said laws and taking recourse to preventive detention
laws would not be warranted. Preventive detention involves detaining of a person
without trial in order to prevent him/her from committing certain types of offences.
But such detention cannot
be made a substitute for the Crl.A.67/12 ordinary law and absolve the investigating
authorities of their normal functions of investigating crimes which the detenue
may have committed. After all, preventive detention in most cases is for a year
only and cannot be used as an instrument to keep a person in perpetual custody without
trial.
Accordingly, while following
the three-Judge Bench decision in Rekha's case (supra), we allow the appeal and
set aside the order passed by the High Court dated 20th July, 2011, and also
quash the Detention Order dated 15th February, 2011, issue by the Collector and
District Magistrate, Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh.
12.
This
order should not in any way prejudice the outcome of the pending cases against
the appellant.
........................J.
(ALTAMAS KABIR)
........................J.
(SURINDER SINGH NIJJAR)
NEW
DELHI;
January
05, 2012.
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