Sandhya vs The Deputy Inspector General Of Prisons
2026 Latest Caselaw 2614 Mad

Madras High Court

Sandhya vs The Deputy Inspector General Of Prisons on 20 May, 2026

Author: G.R.Swaminathan

Bench: G.R.Swaminathan

                                                                           W.P.(Crl.) No.1182 of 2026


                                  IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

                                                DATED : 20.05.2026

                                                     CORAM

                          THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN
                                            AND
                        THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN

                                             W.P.(Crl) No.1182 of 2026
                                                        and
                                            W.P.M.P.(Crl) No.391 of 2026
                Sandhya
                W/o.Sampath                                                ....   Petitioner

                                                  -vs-

                1.        The Deputy Inspector General of Prisons,
                          Chennai Range,
                          Prison Head Quarters,
                          Whannels Road,
                          Egmore, Chennai – 600 008.

                2.        The Superintendent of Prisons,
                          Central Prison-1,
                          Puzhal, Chennai – 600 066.                       ....   Respondents


                Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India,
                praying this Court to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the
                records in the order bearing No.169/mu.uu.1/2026 dated 07.05.2026 passed by
                the second respondent and quash the same and directing the respondents to
                grant ordinary leave for 40 days without escort to the petitioner’s husband
                namely Sampath S/o.Panner Selvam, aged 61 years, Convict Prisoner, OJCT
                No.2008, Central Prison-1, Puzhal.




https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
                                                                           W.P.(Crl.) No.1182 of 2026


                                    For Petitioner   :     Ms.S.Nadhiya

                                    For Respondents :     Mr.R.Muniyapparaj
                                                          Additional Public Prosecutor


                                                         ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.)

Heard both sides.

2. The writ petitioner’s husband is a life convict. He has already

undergone 20 years of incarceration in the Central Prison, Puzhal, Chennai. The

petitioner submitted an application to the respondents seeking grant of 40 days

ordinary leave. The said request was rejected vide order dated 07.05.2026 by

citing Rule 35 of the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982.

3. Our attention is drawn to the order dated 18.04.2024 in W.P.No.9081 of

2024 [S.Amaravathi Vs. The Secretary to Government and Others] in which

even though the same Rule was cited, the Hon’ble Division Bench chose to

grant the relief.

4. We are inclined to adopt the very same relief. In this view of the

matter, the impugned order stands quashed and the convict-prisoner is granted

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forty (40) days ordinary leave without escort.

5. The writ petition is allowed on the following conditions:~

(a)The convict-prisoner, Sampath S/o.Panner Selvam, [Convict Prisoner,

OJCT No.2008] now detained at Central Prison-1, Puzhal, Chennai, is granted

ordinary leave for forty (40) days from 27.05.2026 to 05.07.2026 without

escort.

(b) The convict prisoner shall be released from the prison at 05.00 p.m.,

on 26.05.2026 and he shall return to the prison at 10.00 a.m., on 06.07.2026.

(c) During the said leave period, he shall report before the Inspector of

Police, E5 Pattinampakkam Police Station, Chennai, daily at 07.00 p.m., from

27.05.2026 onwards, without fail.

(d) During the leave period, the convict prisoner shall abide by all the

conditions prescribed in the Jail Manual.

Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

                                                                         [G.R.S.,J.]       [V.L.N.,J.]
                                                                              20.05.2026
                Index : Yes/No
                Neutral Citation : Yes/No

Speaking order / Non-speaking order ms/mk

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To

1. The Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Chennai Range, Prison Head Quarters, Whannels Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008.

2. The Superintendent of Prisons, Central Prison-1, Puzhal, Chennai – 600 066.

3. The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

Copy to:

The Inspector of Police, E.5 Pattinampakkam Police Station, Chennai.

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G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.

AND V.LAKSHMINARAYANAN, J.

ms/mk

and

20.05.2026

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis