Supreme Court Queries UP Government on National Security Act Detentions in Sambhal Violence Case

The Supreme Court of India has posed critical questions to the Uttar Pradesh government regarding the applicability of the National Security Act (NSA) in cases where detentions are based on confessions obtained in police custody. This inquiry emerged during the hearing of a petition contesting the preventive detention of Mulla Afroz, who is alleged to be the ‘mastermind’ behind the violent events in Sambhal that occurred in November 2024.

Afroz’s arrest was initiated following a confession he reportedly made while in police custody, a point that has raised legal eyebrows about the validity of such detentions under the NSA. The National Security Act enables the state to detain individuals without trial for up to a year if their actions are deemed prejudicial to national security or public order.

The Sambhal violence erupted on November 24, 2024, when a group from the Muslim community protested against a survey of the historic Shahi Jama Masjid in Chandausi town. This survey was part of a legal claim suggesting that the mosque, established in 1526 during the reign of Mughal Emperor Babar, stood on the site of an ancient Hindu temple. The unrest resulted in the deaths of five individuals, with local reports indicating that four were victims of police gunfire, sparking further outrage and demands for accountability.

Despite being granted bail by the Allahabad High Court, the Uttar Pradesh government subsequently issued an order for Afroz’s detention under the NSA on October 13, 2025. Following this order, Afroz appealed to the Supreme Court after the High Court upheld the NSA detention, emphasizing the contentious nature of his case and the broader implications for civil liberties in India.

During the Supreme Court proceedings, the bench probed the legal foundations for detaining individuals under the NSA based solely on custodial confessions. The implications of this inquiry could resonate widely, touching upon issues of human rights, due process, and the balance between national security and individual freedoms in a democratic society.

Source: scroll.in