Material Not Sufficient To Prove That Activities Harm 'Public Order': Gujarat High Court Sets Free Man Detained For Being A "Bootlegger"

The Gujarat High Court set free a man detained as a "bootlegger," quashing the preventive detention order due to insufficient evidence of his activities harming public order. The court analyzed the legal standards under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, determining that the material presented did not justify the detention. The judges noted that merely registering a prohibition offense does not warrant preventive action without clear evidence of adverse impacts on public order. This ruling emphasizes the necessity for law enforcement to substantiate claims before detaining individuals under preventive detention laws.