Lucky Chandel challenged a preventive detention order dated 02.05.2026 passed by the State of Himachal Pradesh under Section 3 of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988, based on three FIRs registered against him for recovery of small quantities of heroin/chitta. The petitioner argued that the detention order lacked a 'proximate live link' to any recent activity, as the last FIR was lodged on 23.04.2025 and the detention order was passed approximately one year later, after the petitioner had already been granted bail and had not been involved in any further NDPS offence. The Himachal Pradesh High Court, relying on the Supreme Court judgments in Sama Aruna v. State of Telangana (2018) 12 SCC 150 and Mallada K. Sri Ram v. State of Telangana (2023) 13 SCC 537, held that preventive detention is a draconian power, the incidents relied upon were stale, and the essential 'live and proximate link' between past conduct and the need to detain was absent. The Court accordingly quashed and set aside the detention order and directed that the petitioner be released forthwith.