Asansol police summoned me at 2 am, kept me for 12 hours without informing me of the grounds, and released me without charge. Is this legal?

Detailed Legal Analysis

The actions of the Asansol police in summoning you at 2 am and keeping you for 12 hours without informing you of the grounds for detention and subsequently releasing you without charge raise serious legal concerns regarding your rights under Indian law.

According to the Constitution of India and various legal provisions, your detention appears to violate the following key principles:

• Right to Personal Liberty: Under Article 21 of the Constitution, no person shall be deprived of their life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law. Arbitrarily detaining someone without informing them of the reasons contravenes this right.
• Requirement of Informing Grounds of Arrest: Section 50 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) mandates that a person arrested must be informed of the grounds for arrest and be allowed to consult a legal practitioner of their choice.
• Detention Beyond 24 Hours: According to Section 57 of the CrPC, no police officer shall detain a person in custody for a period exceeding 24 hours without obtaining a magistrate's order. Keeping you for 12 hours without charge, especially at an unreasonable hour, raises questions of legality.
• Arbitrary Detention: Article 22 of the Constitution provides specific protections against arrest and detention. It stipulates that every person who is arrested and detained must be informed of the grounds for such arrest, and they must be produced before the nearest magistrate within 24 hours of arrest.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court of India has held in various judgments that arbitrary detention is unconstitutional and amounts to a violation of individual rights. For example, in the case of Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978), the Court emphasized the importance of following due process in matters of personal liberty.

In summary, your detention seems to have violated multiple provisions of the Constitution and the CrPC. You may have grounds to file a complaint against the police for unlawful detention and seek redressal through the legal system, including a writ petition before the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution for enforcement of your fundamental rights.