NANDOLI MOHAMED RAFEEQ vs UNION OF INDIA . — W.P.(Crl.) No. 131/2003

Summary of W.P.(Crl.) No. 131/2003 – Nandoli Mohamed Rafeeq v. Union of India On 20 January 2004, the Supreme Court allowed the writ petition and quashed the petitioner's detention under COFEPOSA (Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974). The Court found that the petitioner was deprived of his constitutional right under Article 22(5) to make effective representation because a crucial witness statement (dated 6 August 2003) was supplied to him in Tamil language, which he could not read or write, despite knowing only Malayalam and some English. The petitioner was directed to be released forthwith, unless required in any other case. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.