Gauhati High Court orders release of MLA 6 months post detention for remarks on Pahalgam terror attack

AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal recently said Aminul Islam was detained for "no fault" and as part of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's plan to end the pro-Muslim party.

Guwahati: Six months after Aminul Islam, an MLA in Assam, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) for his alleged comment related to Pahalgam terror attack, Gauhati High Court on Thursday quashed the detention order under the Act and ordered for his release if not wanted in any other case.

Islam belongs to Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF and is an MLA from Dhing Assembly constituency in central Assam's Nagaon district.

Islam was arrested on April 24 in Nagaon after video was shared on social media in which the MLA allegedly accused that Pahalgaon terror attack in Kashmir in February was orchestrated by the Central

government and its key functionaries. He, however, was granted bail by a court in Nagaon on May 14. But hours later, the MLA was detained under the NSA for trying to "incite public unrest by spreading misinformation and hatred." On July 3, the Advisory Board for NSA allowed his detention for one year.

A court of justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Rajesh Majumdar on Thursday quashed the NSA order on the ground that there was no explanation from the authorities about the delay while dealing with the representation filed by Islam.

"Coupled with this, the petitioner was never informed about his right to represent to the detaining authority and further, his right to represent to the Central Government came to be informed to him only after the Central

Government had reminded the Additional Secretary to the Government of

Assam, with a copy of to the District Magistrate, Nagaon," the bench said in its order.

Advocate Santanu Borthakur appeared for Islam in the High Court.

AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal recently said Islam was detained for "no fault" and as part of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's plan to end the pro-Muslim party.

Like Islam, several persons, mainly Muslims, were arrested by police in BJP-ruled Assam for "anti-national" comments on social media regarding the Pahalgam terror attack.