NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared as “invalid in the eyes of law” the arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha in a case under the anti-terror law, and directed that he be released from custody.

The apex court observed that a copy of the remand application in the “purported exercise of communication” of grounds of arrest in writing was not provided to Purkayastha or his counsel before the passing of the remand order dated October 4, 2023 which “vitiates” his arrest and subsequent remand.

“As a result, the appellant is entitled to a direction for release from custody by applying the ratio of the judgement rendered by this court in the case of Pankaj Bansal,” a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta said.

Press Trust of India