Such detention is intended to strike a delicate balance between an individual's personal liberty (Fundamental Right) and safety of the country and society at large, the apex court said.

A bench of Justices C K Thakker and Altamas Kabir in a judgement that a preventive detention order passed on the basis of a "suspicion" was to prevent a person from acting in any manner prejudicial to public interest or law, and courts must be conscious while granting relief to such persons.

"Interference by a court of law at that stage must be an exception rather than a rule and such an exercise can be undertaken by a writ court (Supreme Court/High Courts) with

extreme care, caution and circumspection," the bench observed.

The bench passed the observation while upholding an appeal filed by the Maharashtra Government challenging a Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench) judgement which quashed the detention order passed by the authorities against Bhaurao PunjabRao Gawande, a petroleum product transporter for alleged black marketing.