SC gives MPDA respite to Champion

SHILLONG: The Supreme Court has granted a major respite to GNLA leader Champion Sangma by setting aside the order of East Garo Hills District Magistrate, passed in 2013, to detain him under Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act (MPDA).
It was on January 29, 2013 that the East Garo Hills district administration had booked Champion under MPDA for three years prior to the Assembly elections fearing that he would be out on bail.
Later, both the Single and Division Benches of the High Court had upheld the order which prompted the lawyer of Champion Sujit Dey to file a special leave petition before the apex court.
After the petition was admitted, the Supreme Court had sought response from the government.
Dey said on Sunday that after state government submitted the affidavit, the Supreme Court, during the hearing held on Friday, set aside the detention order.
Dey said that the right to make representation before the Centre and the district magistrate was not made known to them by the detaining authority after Champion was detained under MPDA. Moreover, it was only an apprehension that Champion would avail bail if he was not detained under MPDA.
Earlier, the High Court of Meghalaya had set aside another order under MPDA against Champion passed by the West Garo Hills district administration on January, 30, 2013.
Dey said that with the setting aside of MPDA cases, Champion will have to face only regular cases.
The Supreme Court lawyer and Government Counsel Ranjan Mukherjee said on Sunday that the order under MPDA was set aside on the technical ground that there was no question of Champion getting bail since no bail application was moved.
The reason for the district administration to book Champion under MPDA was that he would come out on bail, which, however, was not found to be tenable as the arrested GNLA leader had other pending cases and moreover, no bail application was moved.
Champion, who was arrested on July 30, 2012 was booked in nine cases, four in Tura, two in Williamnagar, two in Nongstoin and one in Mendipathar.