Despotic officers will turn UP Orwellian: HC raps Noida DM over student’s detention

The Allahabad High Court has cancelled the NSA detention of a Delhi University student arrested during April's Noida workers' protest. The court came down heavily on Gautam Buddha Nagar DM Medha Roopam, warning that "despotic" conduct by errant officials could turn Uttar Pradesh into an "Orwellian Dystopia".

A bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Achal Sachdev held on Monday that the continued incarceration of 25-year-old Akriti Chaudhary violated her fundamental rights, finding that the DM's NSA detention order and its grounds were devoid of material and showed "non-application of mind".

The court also awarded Chaudhary Rs 5 lakh compensation and directed that the amount be recovered from the salary of the Gautam Buddha Nagar DM and other officers responsible, "right down to the SHO", LiveLaw reported.