The state president of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Armstrong, was hacked to death near his house on July 5, last year. In connection with the case, 27 people have been arrested and imprisoned.
The “Goonda Act” (a law similar to the Goondas Act of Tamil Nadu) was invoked against 26 of them.
Seventeen of the accused filed a petition in the Madras High Court to revoke the Goonda Act. The judges questioned the police about the delay and irregularities in notifying the arrests, providing documents, and obtaining permission for the act.
After hearing the arguments, the judges revoked the Goonda Act against the 17 petitioners.
However, they also stipulated that bail should not be automatically granted to the accused, and that their bail applications should be considered based on the severity of the case.