Varun Gandhi approaches SC against his detention under NSA

Varun Gandhi's lawyer told the court that his client was being held illegally by the Uttar Pradesh government and would challenge the detention under NSA. The plea will be heard tomorrow.

Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate in Pilibhit Varun Gandhi, in jail for his alleged hate campaign speeches, on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court to challenge his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

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Varun Gandhi, who was moved to Uttar Pradesh's Etah jail early om Wednesday from Pilibhit, was being held illegally by the state government, his lawyer, former additional solicitor general Mukul Rohtagi, told a bench of Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan.

The bench assured Rohtagi that it would hear his petition on Thursday.

Rohtagi told the bench that he was in the process of filing a habeas corpus petition to bring Varun Gandhi to the court. The habeas corpus special petition is filed when a person goes missing and foul play is suspected.

Varun Gandhi was arrested and later booked under the stringent NSA by the Uttar Pradesh government for 'inciting violence' prior to his arrest on Saturday.

Earlier during the day, denying media reports that Gandhi was being targeted by mafia don Chhota Shakeel, a Home Ministry official said, "The decision to shift Varun from Pilibhit to Etah was taken in the wake of the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) threat to observe a Pilibhit bandh on Wednesday.