The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed a preventive detention order issued under the National Security Act (NSA) against an individual linked to the November 2024 Sambhal mosque violence, and imposed a cost of ₹ 10 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government.
The survey was ordered in a suit filed by Hindu petitioners claiming the mosque was built over a temple. Four people were killed in the resulting clashes. This order was approved by the state government and Afroz’s representations challenging the detention order were rejected by the authorities including by the central government.
The ruling came on a petition filed by Mulla Afroz, who was detained following violence during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal on November 24, 2024. The police showed Afroz’s arrest almost 54 days after the incident, implicating him solely on the basis of the alleged confession made in police custody. He said the police also claimed to have seized a .32 bore pistol from him. the Sambhal DM passed a detention order under Section 3(2) of the NSA, 1980 While Afroz was in custody.
Advocate Divyesh Pratap Singh who appeared for Afroz said the petitioner was tortured and coerced into making a confession before the police on the threat of a staged encounter.
