HC dismisses writ petition for release of VHP leaders

The Allahabad High Court today dismissed a writ petition seeking release of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders after Uttar Pradesh government informed it that all the VHP leaders detained during the saffron outfit's yatra in Ayodhya have been released.

The bench of Justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya dismissed the writ petition terming it infructuous.

The order came after Uttar Pradesh government informed the court that all the VHP leaders detained during Chaurasi Kosi Prakrama yatra on Sunday have been released.

Uttar Pradesh government had yesterday released over 950 VHP workers including its leader Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia.

The release of Singhal and others came shortly after the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court directed the state government to release him and Togadia besides other VHP leader Jagatguru Rambhadracharya in case they have been detained in violation of section 151 (2) of the CrPC.

Under this section, a person cannot be detained beyond 24 hours in case of apprehension of breach of peace unless he is not required in some other offence.

The order was today passed by the Lucknow bench on a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of these three leaders through a local counsel Ranjana Agnihotri.