The Kerala High Court on Tuesday set aside the preventive detention of Bharatiya Janata Party councillor R Sugathan and instructed prison authorities to release him from the Viyyur Central Jail.
A division bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S delivered the ruling after hearing a petition filed by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor’s wife contesting his confinement under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 2007.
In setting aside the custody order, the bench noted that the Thiruvananthapuram District Collector had issued the initial June 8 detention order in a casual manner, without demonstrating proper application of mind or subjective satisfaction.
The court further quashed subsequent orders passed by the Kerala state government on June 21 and July 6, which had respectively approved and confirmed the collector’s original directive.
Sugathan had been placed under preventive custody for a designated six-month term starting June 8 following his alleged involvement in multiple criminal cases.
