Madras High Court

N.Nagendran vs The Deputy Commissioner Of Police on 21 April, 2022

Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 21.04.2022

CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA

Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

N.Nagendran ... Petitioner

Vs.

1. The Deputy Commissioner of Police,
O/o. The Deputy Commissioner of Police,
T.Nagar, Chennai.

2. The Assistant Commissioner of Police,
O/o. The Assistant Commissioner of Police,
Ashok Nagar, Chennai.

3. The Inspector of Police,
MGR Nagar Police Station,
Chennai. ... Respondents

PRAYER : Criminal Original Petition is filed under Section 482 of the
Criminal Procedure Code, pleased to direct the respondents to remove the
petitioner's name from the History Sheet(Rowdy List) maintaining by the 3rd
respondent in pursuant to the petitioner representation 04.04.2022.

For Petitioner : Mr.P.Muthamizh Selvakumar
For Respondents : Mr.A.Gokulakrishnan
Additional Public Prosecutor.
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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

ORDER

The Criminal Original Petition has been filed to direct the

respondents to remove the petitioner's name from the History Sheet(Rowdy

List) maintaining by the 3rd respondent in pursuant to the petitioner

representation 04.04.2022.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that

the petitioner has completed the bachelor degree and he is doing business for

his day to day livelihoods. In the meantime, the police had registered a case and

the same was quashed by this Court. Even though, the petitioner is not involved

in any illegal activities, at the instigation of the superior officers in the Police

Department, History Sheeted Rowdy Book was opened in at the third

respondent police station, in order to harass the petitioner and to restrict his

movements. The petitioner was compelled to attend the 3rd respondent police

station for executing the sureties to the satisfaction of the 1st respondent for the

reason that his name is kept in the History Sheet (Rowdy List). He would

further submit that in order to lead his life peacefully, the petitioner had made a

representation on 04.04.2022 to the respondents to delete his name from the

History Sheet book, but the respondents have not yet considered till date.

Therefore, he sought for allowing the petition.

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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

3. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the

respondents submitted that the petitioner is an habitual offender indulging in

illegal activities, extortion, etc. Hence, History Sheeted Rowdy Book was

opened at the third respondent police station as against the petitioner and it is

being extended regularly as per the Police Standing Order. Therefore, he prays

to dismiss the petition.

4. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned

Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondents.

5. The issue involved in this petition has already been dealt with by the

Madurai Bench of this Court and detailed order has been passed in

W.P.(MD)No.19651 of 2017 on 26.09.2018. On the basis of the above said

Order, the Director General Of Police, Chennai issued a circular in Rc.No.

66569/Crime 3(2)/2019 dated 24.04.2019, which reads as follows :-

7.From the above judgments the following principles emerge insofar as history sheeters are concerned:

a. In order to facilitate the study of crime and criminals, the Police Standing Orders provides https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

a mechanism, whereby every Police Station shall maintain a crime history, which shall be a confidential record. In this record all cases of crime that are mentioned in PSO No.742, which provides various classes of crime, shall be entered and even an attempt to commit those offences, are entered in the records maintained in the Police Station.

b. These crime records maintained by the Various Police Stations shall be reviewed every year by the Inspector of Police of the concerned Police Station. On such review, the Inspector of Police has to furnish a concise appreciation of the year's crime for the benefit of the Superior Officers and also to make suggestions in order to improve the quality of crime control. The review undertaken by the Inspector of Police is not merely a catalogue of the crime in the year. It should reflect the valuable suggestions in order to prevent such crimes in future and to provide ways and means of handling serious offences in an effective manner.

c. History Sheet can be opened by the concerned Police Station under two circumstances.

The first circumstance is provided under PSO No.746, which states that the history sheet can be opened against a person who is a resident (permanently or temporarily) within the station

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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

limit, who is known or believed to be addicted to commission of crime, whether convicted or not. Here the thrust is on the habituality or the propensity to commit a crime by a person, which is sought to be monitored by opening a history sheet.

d. The second category of persons against whom history sheet can be opened are the persons, who are convicted for various offences that has been listed in PSO No.747, wherein opening of the history sheet is automatic.

e. In the first category of opening history sheet, month wise scrutiny or a close watch on the person concerned is contemplated. Here also there is sub-catogrization as, close watch bad characters and non-close watch bad characters. In the former, the entry shall be made month wise and in the later, the entry shall be made once in a quarter. What is entered is normally anything of interest in respect of the bad character, which goes to the notice of the Police. These records must be checked and brought upto date once in a year. Here the main thrust is on “Current Doings”.

f. In the second category of opening history sheet, a mere act of conviction under the offences listed in PSO No.747 is enough. The name of the persons, who have been convicted for those

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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

offences can be retained for a period of two years after their release from jail.

g. PSO No.748, is the most important provision, which deals with discontinuance of history sheet. This provision is common to both the categories falling under PSO Nos.746 and 747. As per PSO No.748, the Superintendent of Police may order a closure of a history sheet at any time. But, the Divisional Officer can order closure of history sheet only after the expiry of the period stipulated in PSO No.747.

h. As per PSO 748, where retention of the history sheet is considered to be necessary, even after two years of registration, orders of an Officer of and above the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police/ Deputy Superintendent of Police must be taken for extension for the first instance upto the end of next December. For further annual extension from January to December, separate orders must be passed every time by an Officer of and above the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police / Deputy Superintendent of Police. This provision is made applicable even for rowdy sheeters.

i. For the purpose of passing such orders, there must be valid materials available on record and it cannot be passed on the whims and fancies of

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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

the Police Officers. Therefore, the authority empowered to extend the period of retention of the names of the persons in the history sheet, should record his reasons based on both objective and subjective instructions.

j. Branding a person as a history sheeted rowdy, taints the name and image of the person. It is true that the entire purpose of maintaining a history sheet is to ensure public peace. However, it should be balanced with the fundamental right guaranteed to every citizen under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Therefore, a fair and reasonable decision, based on the materials, with sufficient reasons, becomes sine qua non to retain the name of a person as a history sheeter beyond the period stipulated in the Police Standing Orders.

k. This Court has time and again brought the above principle to the notice of the Higher Police Officials and in one of the judgments in Manivanan Vs. State represented by The District Collector, Coimbatore District and Others, reported in (2013) 7 MLJ 501, this Court felt that there is lack of understanding on the part of the Police in maintaining history sheet and therefore, directed the Director General of Police to issue necessary instructions / guidelines / circulars with

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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

regard to the manner in which it has to be maintained and the manner in which the orders will have to be passed for extension of the period to continue a person as a history sheeter.

8.The above principles that has been culled out of various decisions of this Court will now be applied to each case in order to see if the Police officials have scrupulously followed all the Police Standing Orders and the judgments of this Court, while retaining the name of a person as a history sheeter, beyond the stipulated period.

6. In view of the above circular passed by the Director General of

Police, Chennai, this Court is inclined to pass the following order :-

(i) the first respondent is directed to consider

the petitioner's representation, dated 04.04.2022 and

pass orders, on merits and in accordance with law,

within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt

of a copy of this Order.

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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

7. With the above directions, the Petition stands disposed of.

21.04.2022

Index :Yes/No Internet:Yes/No rgi

1. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, O/o. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, T.Nagar, Chennai.

2. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, O/o. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ashok Nagar, Chennai.

3. The Inspector of Police, MGR Nagar Police Station, Chennai.

4. The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras.

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Crl.O.P.No.8922 of 2022

A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA.,J