India, Sept. 17 -- The Patna High Court has quashed the Bihar government's branding of two persons as "anti-social elements" and restricting their movement, holding that the move had been taken without proper verification and directing the administration to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the men.

A division bench of Justices Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Sunil Dutta Mishra, in an order dated September 11, also awarded Rs 10,000 each for litigation costs.

The petitioners -- Shasi Kumar alias Fukan and Ajay Singh -- had challenged proceedings initiated against them after the Nalanda superintendent of police recommended that they be noted as "anti-social elements" based on a report submitted by the Rajgir sub-divisional police officer ...