# Gauhati High Court Quashes NSA Detention of Activist Pranab Doley The court overturned the preventive detention order against activist Pranab Doley in Assam. - **Source:** [Scroll.in](https://scroll.in) - **Published:** 2026-11-06 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/3bb45682-830d-4f1e-bb6a-eba2d2741847 ## Court Overturns Detention Order A division bench of the Gauhati High Court officially quashed the detention of activist Pranab Doley on Friday. Doley had been held under the National Security Act, a controversial law that permits authorities to detain individuals for up to one year without a formal trial or specific criminal charges being filed. ## Initial Arrest and Protest The legal proceedings began after Doley participated in a protest on July 12. The demonstration targeted a hotel project located at Ingle Pathar, a village situated near the Kaziranga National Park. Police accused Doley of trespassing into the Tea Tribes Museum and the Assam Tourism Development Corporation Hyatt project site with weapons. ## Bail Granted by Court On July 29, a sessions court in Golaghat granted bail to Doley regarding the initial trespassing charges. The court determined that the investigating officer had already secured statements from all key witnesses. Consequently, the judge concluded there was no remaining risk that Doley could tamper with evidence or influence the ongoing investigation. ## NSA Detention Invoked Despite the bail order, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam detained Doley under the National Security Act just one day later. This administrative move effectively prevented his release from jail. The state government justified this action by alleging that Doley had engaged in suspicious foreign transactions violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. ## Legal Conflict Over Evidence The state government's decision to invoke the National Security Act created a direct conflict with the earlier judicial bail order. While the sessions court found no evidence of potential tampering, the state authorities utilized the stringent act to bypass the bail, citing concerns over foreign funding sources and potential national security threats. ## Nature of the Act The National Security Act is a preventive detention law used by Indian authorities to hold individuals deemed a threat to public order or state security. Unlike standard criminal procedures, it allows for extended incarceration without the immediate requirement of a trial, making it a frequent subject of intense legal and civil rights scrutiny. ## Context of Development Projects The protest centered on environmental and land rights concerns regarding the construction of a Hyatt hotel near Kaziranga National Park. Activists often argue that such tourism projects threaten local ecosystems and indigenous land rights. The government, however, maintains that these developments are essential for boosting the state's tourism infrastructure and economic growth. ## Implications of the Ruling The High Court's decision to quash the detention marks a significant check on the state's use of preventive detention laws. By overturning the order, the court reinforces the necessity of judicial oversight in cases where administrative powers are used to override bail. A full copy of the detailed judgement remains currently unavailable. ## Sources covering this story - https://scroll.in/latest/1096915/gauhati-hc-quashes-nsa-detention-of-activist-pranab-doley?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=public — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._