HC rejects plea to discharge man from de-addiction centre

CHENNAI: Hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the brother of a liquor addict, for the release of the latter, a division bench of Madras High Court directed the private de-addiction centre to first complete all the training programmes to cure the man of liquor addiction.

A division bench comprising Justice PN Prakash and AA Nakkiran passed the direction on hearing the HCP filed by S Jaishankar who alleged his brother is under illegal custody at the de-addiction centre and wanted to discharge him from there.

When the matter was taken up, the 45-year-old addicted person appeared before the judges via a WhatsApp video call and said he was admitted to the centre by his wife, but has recovered completely.

The deaddiction centre’s manager, Jayaprakash, submitted they have to proceed with further training programmes to get the man completely cured of liquor addiction.

P Pugalenthi, advocate for the petitioner submitted a direction may be issued to the de-addiction centre to permit the petitioner to visit his brother on and off and the same was accepted by the de-addiction centre’s manager. On recording either side’s submissions, the bench allowed the centre to continue with the training.

“It is open to the petitioner to visit his brother at the de-addiction centre during visiting hours, but, the petitioner shall not do anything that would disturb the training programme of the patient,” the judge ruled.