The Allahabad High Courton Wednesdayset aside the order passed by the Meerut District Magistrate by which Bahujan Samaj Partyex-MLA Yogesh Verma was booked under stringent National Security Act (NSA).
It was alleged that Verma disturbed public peaceduring an agitation launched by some Dalit groups in western Uttar Pradesh following the judgment given by the Supreme Court providing certain safeguards in the SC/ST Act.
Allowing the writ petition filed by Yogesh Verma, a division bench comprising Justice Bala Krishna Narayana and Justice RN Kakkar directed that Verma be released forthwith if he is not wanted in any other case.
Earlier, on March 20 this year, the Supreme Court had issued someguidelines to protect public servants and private individuals from arbitrary and immediate arrest under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Agitated over this decision, various Dalit groups organized Bharat Bandh in April 2018, wherein large scale violence took place, specially in Saharanpur, Meerut and other areas of western Uttar Pradesh.
Subsequently, on May 8, the Meerut District Magistrate passed an order detaining ex-BSP MLA from Meerut, Yogesh Verma under the NSA for disturbing public peace during the said unrest and damaging public property. Verma challenged the detention order before the high court.
Quashing the order of detention, the court said there was no subjective satisfaction of the Meerut district magistrate while passing the detention order under the NSA, that there is imminent possibility of release of Verma and he would repeat the same kind of acts which will be prejudicial to the public order.
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