UP Suffers Setback As SC Confirms High Court Order On Dr Kafeel Khan

New Delhi, December 17 (TNA) The Uttar Pradesh government suffered a major setback in the Supreme Court on Thursday where in it sought tough charges against a Gorakhpur doctor, Kafeel Khan, under the National Security Act (NSA) for a speech against the amended citizenship law. The state government had gone to the apex court against an earlier HC order setting Khan free.

"Criminal cases will be decided on their own merits. You cannot use a preventive detention order in another case," Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said. "It seems to be a good order by the High Court. We see no reason to interfere with the order. But the observations will not affect the prosecution on criminal cases," Bobde said.

The Yogi Adityananth government had challenged the Allahabad High Court's September 1 verdict that cancelled the detention of Kafeel Khan under the NSA, calling it "illegal".