Overview
- A division bench of Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Devendra Singh-I on 26 February dismissed habeas corpus pleas by Sikandar, Saiyyaj Ali and Hasnen, leaving in place one-year preventive detention under the National Security Act.
- The court ruled the episode was a public-order disturbance rather than a mere law-and-order infraction, citing a disruption to the “even tempo of community life.”
- Authorities reported recovery of roughly 2–3 quintals of beef, tied cattle, knives and other items, and the court noted locals stopped leaving cattle outside and tensions rose between Hindu and Muslim communities.
- Judges pointed to an extraordinary administrative response as corroboration, including inter-station police deployment, riot-control drills, peace committee meetings and foot patrols by senior officers.
- Procedural safeguards were found satisfied: the Jalaun district magistrate’s April 2025 orders under Section 3(2) were approved within 12 days, upheld by the advisory board and confirmed by the state, with the court rejecting claims of police dictation and stressing detention’s preventive nature even when bail is sought.