Ahmedabad, Aug 1 (IANS) The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has detained a city resident under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA).

The accused, identified as 30-year-old Manish alias Aahu, son of Bhupendrakumar Sharma, a resident of Ajay Tenament near RTO Circle, Vejalpur, Ahmedabad, was taken into custody following a thorough investigation and submission of evidence.

DCB officials submitted a formal PASA application to the Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad, who approved the detention under PASA Order No. PCB/DTN/PASA/649/2025 dated July 30. The order was executed promptly, and legal procedures were followed to detain the accused. Authorities later transferred the accused to Rajkot Jail under police escort, as per the directives of the PASA order.

Officials stated that the move is part of an intensified drive to curb anti-social and illegal activities linked to the state’s prohibition laws.

Between 2022 and 2024, Gujarat Police booked over 1,150 individuals under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) across key districts, highlighting a sharp focus on repeat and serious offenders. According to official data, Ahmedabad accounted for 389 arrests, Surat 532, Vadodara 163, and Rajkot 73.

In a broader crackdown in 2019-20, more than 2,800 PASA cases were registered in Ahmedabad alone, with 429 detentions across the state during a single year.

A recent special operation led by the Director General of Police identified 7,612 anti-social elements statewide within just 100 hours, leading to 59 PASA detentions, including 25 in Ahmedabad, 12 in Morbi, seven in rural Surat, and six in Gandhinagar. In Surat, authorities even invoked PASA against 25 white-collar offenders, including moneylenders, extortionists, and unlicensed financiers.

In 2025 alone, PASA orders were issued against at least 450 individuals ahead of the Rath Yatra in Surat. This followed 704 detentions in 2024 under the act, per official statements.

Despite widespread use, PASA has faced sustained criticism for misuse. Over the last two years, 5,402 detentions were recorded statewide, yet around 64 per cent were quashed by the Gujarat High Court, highlighting systemic overreach and legal scrutiny.

–IANS

janvi/dpb