Ranchi/ New Delhi: While Left-leaning intelligentsia outraged on social media against detention of activist and economist Jean Dreze in Jharkhand on Thursday, local police told MyNation that he was in serious violation of rules.

No permission for meet

Dreze and other organisers had not taken permission for the meeting he was attending. So, he was detained under the Preventive Detention laws at the Bishenpur police station in naxal-hit Dumka district. “The action was taken under Preventive Detention as we expected the peace and law and order of the region to be disturbed by the meeting,” the police official said.

Taking a no-objection certificate from the police for such meetings is mandatory. IPC sections of unlawful assembly and other state-specific legislations apply otherwise.

Code of Conduct is on

“He is a highly educated man. Tell me, doesn’t he know he needs to take permission for an open public meeting, especially when the Election Commission’s model code of conduct is in motion?” asked a senior Jharkhand police officer, requesting anonymity.

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Dreze was part of UPA’s National Advisory Council (NAC), which was believed to be a parallel to the Manmohan Singh government, was detained on Thursday by the Jharkhand Police under.

“Dreze was trying to hold a public meeting even as the Model Code of Conduct is in action. When the code is in place prior permission has to be obtained from the district administration for all and any public meetings. This meeting was called without obtaining this permission,” the top Jharkhand police official told MyNation.

Dumka is naxal-torn

The local police had apprehensions of certain ultra-Left elements would attend and create trouble at the event. Dumka is officially listed as one of the 90 naxal-affected districts in the country, 19 of which are in Jharkhand.

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Dreze has been accused by many in the Right as a naxal sympathiser, an accusation he has strongly refuted.

Dreze aides misbehaved?

According to sources, the police party and district administration went to the venue of the proposed meet to enforce the letter of the law, but his associates “misbehaved with the administration and resisted action” which forced the police to detain him at the Bishanpur police station.

“We have asked for a report from the district and we shall initiate action against him as per that information. If he is found to have violated the Model Code of Conduct, an FIR will be lodged against him and he shall be formally charged and arrested,” the top cop said.