Owaisi slams Centre on report of Delhi Police being granted detention powers under NSA

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday alleged that the Centre has empowered Delhi Police to detain under the National Security Act (NSA).

Sharing a report alleging that says the Delhi Police may exercise the powers of detaining authority under the NSA, Owaisi took to Twitter to share: "Delhi Police has shown willingness to act in a way that pleases the Centre. Now it is been empowered to detain under draconian NSA."

He said the act allows detention up to one year and gives the power to police to arrest anyone irrespective of their guilt and innocence.

"It allows detention up to one year without vakil (lawyer), daleel (argument), appeal and is popular with cops who want to go after anyone irrespective of their guilt and innocence," he said.

The report said the order "is a routine order passed by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi after every four months".

The order states: "...in exercise of the powers conferred by sub section (3) of section 3, read with clause (e) of Section 2 of the National Security Act, 1980, the Lt. Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi is pleased to direct that during the period 19/01/2020 to 18.04/2020 the Commissioner of Police, Delhi may also exercise the powers of detaining authority under sub section (2) of the section 3 of the aforesaid Act.