HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH AT SRINAGAR HCP No.122/2025 Reserved on: 16.04.2026 Pronounced on: 22.04.2026 Uploaded on: 23.04.2026 Whether the operative part or full judgment is pronounced: Full Mohd Ashraf Mantoo S/O Mohd. Ismail Mantoo Through his mother Shahmala W/O Mohd Ismail Mantoo R/O Takiya Maqsood Shah, Bijbehara, District Anantnag.

…Petitioner(s)

Through: Adv. M. Usman Gani.

Vs.

1. Union Territory of J&K through Principal Secretary to Govt.

Home Department, J&K Civil Sectt. Srinagar.

2. District Magistrate, Anantnag.

3. Senior Superintendent of Police, District Anantnag.

4. Superintendent, Central Jail, Jammu.

…Respondent(s)

Through: GA Ilyas Nazir Laway.

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE M. A. CHOWDHARY, JUDGE

JUDGMENT

1. Preventive detention refers to the practice of detaining individuals without trial, to prevent them from committing potential offenses. Laws like the ‘Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act’ empower authorities to detain individuals based on perceived threats to Public Order or Security.

2. Through the medium of the present petition, the petitioner has challenged Order No. 12/DMA/PSA/DET/2025 dated 26.04.2025 passed by the District Magistrate, Anantnag (‘Detaining