Kohima: The Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench quashed three preventive detention orders on September 17. Justice Robin Phukan and Justice Yarenjungla Longkumer issued the rulings. The cases involved the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Two cases stemmed from Sub-Urban Police Station Case No. 008/2026. This incident involved 55 grams of suspected heroin. The detainees could not read English. They understood Hindi, Adivasi, and Assamese. The state provided detention grounds in English. Officials claimed they offered verbal explanations in Nagamese. The court rejected this excuse.
The Bench ruled that oral translations cannot replace written documents. Citing Supreme Court precedents, they voided the orders. The judges stated: "Mere oral explanation of the grounds in a local language could not substitute the requirement of furnishing the written grounds in a language understood by the detenue."
The third case involved 39 kilograms of suspected ganja. The state initially detained the suspect on October 27, 2025. The Advisory Board approved this on November 19, 2025. On April 28, the government extended the detention until July 28 based on a report from the Additional Director General of Police. The court found this extension illegal. Officials failed to secure a fresh opinion from the Advisory Board. The court ordered the state to pay 30,000 rupees in compensation for the unlawful detention period.
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