CHENNAI: The order detaining film director and Naam Tamilar Iyakkam leader Seeman under the National Security Act (NSA) was set aside by the Madras High Court on Thursday.
Seeman was arrested on July 12 this year for staging an agitation in front of the Chennai Collectorate building condemning the Sri Lankan army for the attack on TN fishermen on July 10. He was detained under the NSA by an order dated July 16 passed by the Additional Commissioner of Police (ACoP).
Seeman’s brother James Peter filed a habeas corpus writ petition to produce Seeman in the court and to set him at liberty. Petitioner contended hat the order passed by the ACoP was not valid. When the matter came up on Thursday, Advocate General told a division bench comprising Justice Elipe Dharma Rao and Justice D Hariparanthaman that since the City Police Commissioner was away to undergo a training, the ACoP was permitted to act as CoP and a memorandum issued to that effect. Since it was a preventive detention, the order was valid, he argued.
Since the ACoP was subordinate to the CoP, he could not function as CoP and issue the detention order under the NS Act. Hence, the detention order was set aside, the bench said.