New Delhi, Apr 20 (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) over non-compliance of an earlier court order which allowed the premature release of a convict, who has completed 14 years of jail term.

A bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad was dealing with the contempt petition over the non-compliance of the order passed in January last year.

As per the matter, the person had completed 14 years of his sentence in connection with a 2015 kidnapping case.

During the course of the hearing, the bench said that the act is equal to "illegal detention".

"This is preposterous. This is an order of this court directing release. You say that the CBI has to process and they already did this in August 2021. This amounts to illegal detention!" it said.

It warned that if the order is not complied in a week, then the Home Secretary must be present in court to show cause for not initiating contempt action.