Gauhati High Court Overturns National Security Act Detention of Pranab Doley

A division bench of the Gauhati High Court has invalidated the detention of land rights campaigner Pranab Doley under the National Security Act, according to one of his legal representatives.

Doley was taken into custody on July 12 following his participation in a June 28 demonstration alongside local residents in Ingle Pathar village. The protest targeted a proposed hotel development located near Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Law enforcement authorities claimed that Doley unlawfully entered the Tea Tribes Museum site and an adjacent tourism project area while carrying deadly weapons. However, a sessions court awarded him bail on July 29, noting that key witness statements were documented and evidence tampering was unlikely.

Despite receiving bail, state authorities invoked the National Security Act against Doley the following day, preventing his release from prison. Officials cited potential foreign contribution violations and alleged suspicious international financial transactions.

The detention drew criticism from opposition figures, who accused the government of abusing strict preventive laws to suppress public protest and calling the state's allegations vague.