Yogi govt challenges HC order in SC on Kafeel Khan issue

Lucknow

The detention of Kafeel Khan, the doctor from Uttar Pradesh, was 'illegal', the high court had said in its order on September 1, adding the doctor's speech did not show any effort to promote hate or violence.

In its petition, the Uttar Pradesh government has alleged Dr. Khan had a history of committing offences, which led to disciplinary action, suspension from service, registration of police cases and being charged under the National Security Act (NSA).

Dr. Khan was charged under the National Security Act for his speech given against the CAA at a gathering at the Aligarh Muslim University late last year.

The Gorakhpur doctor was arrested on January 29. While he was first charged for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, charges under the NSA were invoked later after he was given bail on February 10 this year.

After Dr. Khan was released from a jail in Mathura, he had said he would ask Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to give him back his job in the state medical services.

He was suspended from Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College after several children died there in 2017, apparently due to the lack of oxygen cylinders at the government hospital.

A departmental inquiry later cleared Dr. Khan of the charges but his suspension was not revoked. He later found himself in trouble for the allegedly provocative speech in Aligarh over the amended citizenship law.

The NSA empowers the government to detain people, without being charged in court, for up to a year if they suspect that they could disrupt public order, endanger the security of India or its ties with foreign countries.