The Supreme Court of India ordered the immediate release of a 24-year-old law student who had been held in preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA) in Bhopal’s Central Jail for nearly a year. The student was initially detained following a campus disturbance in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul, where he allegedly clashed with a professor and faced charges including attempted murder. Despite being in judicial custody, authorities issued and repeatedly extended a preventive detention order under the NSA, which allows detention to prevent actions prejudicial to national security or public order.

The Supreme Court bench found the grounds for detention insufficient and deemed the continued confinement “wholly untenable,” stating that the NSA invocation was unnecessary since the student was already facing regular legal charges. The court emphasized that the incident was primarily a law and order issue, not warranting preventive detention under the NSA. This ruling contrasts with the earlier Madhya Pradesh High Court decision, which had upheld the detention. The case highlights ongoing criticism of the NSA for vague charges and potential misuse against individuals.