New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Dec 19, 2003) issued notice to Editor of Tamil Magazine 'Nakkeeran', R R Gopal, who was detained under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), on a petition filed by Tamil Nadu Government, challenging a Madras High Court order granting bail to him.

The petition filed by the State Government, was mentioned before Chief Justice of India V N Khare, who assigned it to a Bench comprising Justice R C Lahoti and Justice Brijesh Kumar.

The Bench, without hearing any party, issued notice to Gopal and directed listing of the petition for hearing in the Court on its reopening after winter vacation.

The High Court had yesterday directed that Gopal be set at liberty, faulting the police with not providing any reasons for his arrest under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POTA.

Allowing a habeas corpus petition filed by Gopal's brother Guruswamy, the High Court had granted bail to Gopal and held that Article 22(1) of the Constitution in clear and categorical terms mandated that no arrested person shall be detained in custody without being informed of the grounds of such arrest as soon as possible.