HC quashes detention under NSA against PMK MLA

The Madras High Court today quashed the detention orders under the National Security Act (NSA) passed by the state government against PMK MLA J Guru.
A Division Bench, comprising Justice S Rajeswaran and Justice A Arumugaswamy, which quashed the detention orders passed by the Kancheepuram District Collector in May and modified order by the state government on October 7, said the orders were passed by the Collector only after eruption of violence following the arrest of PMK leader Ramadoss and his supporters on April 30.
On a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of Guru, the Bench said violence occurred only after Ramadoss's arrest in which the state said several private and Government Transport vehicles were damaged.

Therefore the speech made by the detenu cannot be said to be a reason for the violence that erupted after six days of his arrest, it said.
"The detention orders dated May 10 and the modified order passed by the State Government on October 7 against the detenu are set aside," the Bench said and directed the Home Secretary and the Kancheepuram Collector to set Guru at liberty unless he is required in any other cases.
Guru was arrested in connection with the speech he delivered at a meeting organised by the PMK's youth wing at Mamallapuram on April 25.

He was first detained under the NSA on May 10, but the Centre, on his plea, quashed it on July 2. He was again detained under the same Act the next day but it was quashed on August 22.
The state invoked the NSA for the third time the next day and subsequently moved the court challenging the revocation of the orders by the Centre.