The Supreme Court on Monday directed the release of Manipur-based political activist Leichombam Erendro by 5 pm, who has been booked under the National Security Act for criticising Bharatiya Janata Party leaders for using cow dung and cow urine as cures for COVID-19.
As per reports, the apex court bench led by Justice D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah stated he cannot be put in jail for even a night and his continued detention will be in violation of his fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The bench listed the matter for Tuesday after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that he was not contesting the plea but would file a response.
The top court directed that the order be immediately communicated to the Manipur jail authorities to enable his release by 5 PM on Monday itself.
The plea filed by Erendro's father L Raghumani Singh challenged the preventive detention of his son under NSA, alleging that it has been done solely to punish him for his criticism of BJP leaders purportedly advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for COVID-19.
The plea, filed by the father of political activist Erendro, claimed that his son had on May 13 posted on Facebook that the cure for coronavirus is not cow's dung and urine.
Erendro was arrested on May 13 itself and was remanded to police custody till May 17. Erendro was granted bail but was not released due to the detention order.
