In Brief
A constable in the Maharashtra Police was detained under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1981 by a detention order that did not specify any period of detention. The High Court dismissed his challenge, but the Supreme Court allowed his appeal. The Court held that preventive detention legislation requires strict interpretation: the Act mandates that detention orders must specify a period, capped at six months initially, with any extension limited to three months at a time. A blanket detention order without specifying the period violates statutory procedure and cannot be sustained. The detention order was set aside and the detenu ordered released.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.