HC quashes detention orders; sets free man held under NSA

Madras High Court today ordered the release of a person, who was arrested in December last and detained under the National Security Act on the order of Ramanathapuram District Collector.
Allowing a Habeas Corpus Petition, a Division Bench, comprising Justices M Jaichandren and M M Sundresh, ordered the release of S Shanmugaiah Pandian, also the President of 'Thevarkula Kootamaippu'.
Advocate M Durai Selvan filed an HCP before the court and contended that his friend Pandian was detained under Section 3 (2) of National Security Act, 1980, without proper prima facie evidence and lodged in Central Prison at Tiruchirapalli.
He further referred to a demonstration on November 2 last in front of Madurai District Court regarding Thevar Gurupooja and said Pandian had only condemned some unwanted incident which occurred on 'Thevar Jayanthi' day and sought action from the state government to bring the culprits to the book.

He said though the demonstration was held on November 2, the case was registered on November 5 and formal arrest made on November 20.
He further prayed for a direction to produce Pandian before court, quash the detention orders of Ramanathapuram District Collector and set him at liberty.
When the matter came up, the bench allowed the HCP and quashed the Ramanathapuram District Collector's order.