New Delhi (ILNS): An alcoholic, who was allegedly forced into a de-addiction center by his relatives, has been released by the Allahabad High Court. The court maintained that forcible detention of an alcoholic, against his will, even in a de-addiction center was illegal.
This order was given by Justice JJ Munir. The court observation came in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by the petitioner/detenu and another person. The petition said that Ankur Kumar was admitted to the Life-Saving Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre in Muzaffarnagar against his wish and that he now wished to go back to his home.
It was further submitted to the court that Ankur Kumar, 29, was taken to the center by his maternal uncle and 20-30 other people and they came in four vehicles to take him to the center.
The Advocate on behalf of the respondents, however, said that it was the petitioner’s mother and not his maternal uncle who had admitted him to the center. This, he said, was evident from a letter of October 21 by the center. That argument of the lawyer was rejected by the court. The judge maintained that it was the maternal uncle who had forcibly admitted Ankur Kumar and is, therefore, guilty of the illegal detention.
The court has directed the SSP of Meerut to take legal action against the Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre. The court has also asked the police to see to it that the petitioner is not harmed in the future.
-India Legal Bureau