State directed to review Goondas Act

Police had booked three cases against Gagan Bothra under various provisions of IPC and in addition charged him under Section 3 and 4 of TN Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act, 2003. He was arrested on July 25, 2017, and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison at Chennai. 

While so, the Commissioner of Police ordered his detention under Tamil Nadu Act 14 (Goondas) Act on August 26, 2017. Challenging the same, his sister Karishma Bothra had filed the HCP.

The bench, while referring to lack of intimation to the detainee’s relatives of his detention while the prison authorities were informed about it held, “Last but not the least, what is disturbing is that all adverse cases against the detainee relates to civil transactions. It is because of the reason that apart from booking him under the provisions of the IPC he was also booked under the Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act.” 

The bench also directed the Registrar General of Madras High Court to communicate the present order to the Superintendent, Central Prison, Puzhal, through fax and further directed the Additional Public Prosecutor to place the above order before the DGP for circulation to his subordinate officers.