AGARTALA(PTI): A controversy is raging in Tripura over 8overnment’s power to detain People under the National Security Act (NSA) with a high court ordering the release of a small town lawyer Calling his arrest “mechanical and illegal.”
Rankhal Majumder was detained under the NSA on Jan.21 by the State government, the arrest led to a 28daylong strike by advocates throughout the state. The strike was called off on February 18 following the Guwahati high court’s orders.
But the high court judgment rocked the state government with the court criticizing it for misuse of NSA and “gross misuse” of power.
Majumder was picked up by police atmidnightonJan.19 from his house in Amarpur in south Tripura district. He was severely tortured in police custody and transferred to an Agartala hospital on Jan, 25.
Doctors attending on Majumder said he had fractures on his legs and arms and these were “very serious in nature.”
The lawyers organized a protest procession and submitted a memorandum to the governor K.V.Raghunath Reddy, seeking his immediate intervention; they also apprised the union home minister S.B.Chavan, of the “illegal arrest” of the lawyer and “torture perpetrated on him.”
However, the state government said Majumder was arrested on charges of an “attempt to rape the wife of the local block development officer on Jan.16.”
President Lawyers’ joint action forum Apangshu Mohan Lodh, called it a “Glib version” and said “Majumder was arrested on frame-up charges. Why would the NSA be applied and not the Indian penal code.”
The lawyers” strike rocked the state, but the chief minister didn’t take any steps ‘I cannot do anything. Law will take its own course.”
Article extracted from this publication >> February 26, 1993
