A teenager who was detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) for almost a year has been set free to return home.

The Home Ministry had authorised the detention of P Jiegandran, 17, following his arrest last December.

He was held for 60 days at a police lock-up for alleged involvement in an armed gang of thieves at four schools.

Jiegandran, now 18, has been placed under restricted residence and is confined to his home in Bukit Beranang, Kajang.

According to lawyer Daniel Albert, who represented Jiegandran and his father M Panir Selvam, the Home Ministry agreed to change the minister’s order to keep the teenager under surveillance at his home.

Following the change of order, Panir Selvam withdrew his legal suit against the ministry for unlawfully confining his son.

Panir Selvam had sought to quash the deputy home minister’s order under Section 4A(1) of Emergency Ordinance (Public Security and Crime Prevention) 1969 on March 11, saying that the detention of his son was invalid and illegal.

Jiegandran was said to have been repeatedly transferred to numerous police stations during investigations into his alleged involvement in illegal activities.

On Jan 12, he was informed that he was being detained under the EO for 60 days and subsequently held at a detention centre in Semenyih during that period.

In March, he was informed that a restricted residence order had been issued against him and that he would be moved to Linggi in Negri Sembilan for two years. He was then moved to Lenggeng on Sept 24.

Reason for restriction

Senior federal counsel Najib Zakaria told reporters that the restricted residence order was to ensure that Jiegandran is kept away from influences of “his mates”.

Najib, representing the respondents, and lawyers Daniel and N Yohendra, for the applicant, met with Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Zawawi Salleh in chambers today.

“He is still under the EO, but restricted to his hometown until March 2012,” said Daniel, who had argued that the preventive law should not be used on minors, based on the Child Act 2001.

According to the order, Jiegandran’s movements are confined to a 3km radius from his house. He will have to report to the Beranang police station every Monday for the next two years.

“We still have reservations on the legality of (using) preventive laws on minors. We are of the view (that this is) illegal,” said Daniel, opposing Najib’s argument that the EO does not distinguish between adults and minors.