Delhi High Court Quashes Arrests, Cites Non-compliance with Legal Protocols

The Delhi High Court nullified the arrests of United National Liberation Front's members, including the self-styled army chief, citing a failure to provide written grounds of arrest. This decision emphasizes the inviolable legal mandate that arrestees must receive written justification for detention under any criminal statute.

The Delhi High Court has struck down the arrests of several members of the United National Liberation Front, including their self-proclaimed army chief, Thokchom Shyamjai Singh. The decision, delivered on Thursday, was based on the failure to issue written grounds of arrest, a legal necessity.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani underscored the constitutional requirement under Article 22(1), which mandates providing arrest grounds in writing regardless of the applicable law. The ruling follows precedents set by the Supreme Court in cases like Pankaj Bansal and Prabir Purkayastha.

The arrest actions carried out by the National Investigation Agency faced scrutiny, with the court declaring them void due to protocol violations. It emphasized the criticality of legal representation and the provision of written arrest justifications, crucial points the NIA failed to uphold.