A known offender list, a report from the police and an order of the Collector: how KAAPA works

Background

A man listed as a known offender at a Kozhikode police station has been moved to the Kannur Central Prison, under an order of the District Collector, after a report from the police. KAAPA is the short name of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, the law used in such a case. Under that law a person can be held in preventive detention, which is a step for public order and not a punishment for a past offence. The same man had earlier been held for six months under Section 3(1) of that law. Before such an order is passed, a preliminary report comes from the local sub-inspector, and then a recommendation from the Deputy Commissioner of Police of the city. A person is first listed as a known offender at the police station that handles the cases. The cases in this instance were spread over stations in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.