The court will hear the challenge on September 14, weeks after Doley was detained under the NSA despite being granted bail
Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Thursday sought the Assam government’s response to a petition challenging the detention of indigenous rights activist Pranab Doley under the National Security Act (NSA).
The court directed the state’s Home and Political Department to appear before it on September 14. Doley was represented by Senior Advocate Santanu Borthakur and Advocate Dipesh Agarwala.
The NSA detention was imposed on July 30, a day after a Golaghat court granted Doley bail in a case linked to protests against a proposed luxury hotel project near Kaziranga National Park.
Doley had been arrested on July 12 in connection with Bokakhat Police Station Case No. 108/2026 over protests at Inlay Pathar. The Golaghat court granted him bail on July 29, but he was detained under the NSA before he could be released.
The detention order cited 13 criminal cases registered against Doley between 2017 and 2026 and alleged that his activities were prejudicial to public order and state security.
The case has also drawn attention to Doley’s rights while in detention. On August 7, the High Court directed the Golaghat District Jail authorities to facilitate meetings between Doley and his father, as well as access to a legal adviser of his choice.
The court relied on the Supreme Court’s 1981 judgment in Francis Coralie Mullin v. Administrator, Union Territory of Delhi, which recognised access to family members, friends and legal advisers as part of rights protected under Articles 14 and 21.
Doley’s detention followed a bail order in which the Golaghat court questioned several aspects of the prosecution’s case, including the lack of specific evidence linking him to alleged attacks and arson attempts during the Kaziranga protests.
The High Court is scheduled to hear the challenge to Doley’s preventive detention on September 14.
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