Delhi riots: Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha released from prison on bail

[timmy]

Delhi riots: Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha released from prison on bail

Pinjra Tod activists Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, and Students’ Islamic Organisation activist Asif Iqbal Tanha had been booked under the UAPA anti-terror law for their alleged role in the Delhi riots last year.

• 
• 
• 

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi |
Updated: June 17, 2021 9:14:20 pm

Student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha outside Tihar prison, after a court ordered their immediate release in the north-east Delhi riots "conspiracy" case, in New Delhi, Thursday, June 17, 2021. (PTI Photo)

Two days after being granted bail, Pinjra Tod activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Students’ Islamic Organisation activist Asif Iqbal Tanha walked out of Tihar prison in Delhi on Thursday, following a court’s order asking for their immediate release in a case related to the Delhi riots 2020.

They were in jail despite the bail order by the Delhi High Court. Following this, the Delhi court ordered their immediate release earlier today.

Director General (Delhi Prisons) Sandeep Goel confirmed to news agency PTI that all three have been released. A senior jail official said Kalita and Narwal walked out of jail around 7 pm and Tanha around 7.30 pm.

 

 Student activist Natasha Narwal hugs Devangana Kalita outside Tihar prison, after a court ordered their immediate release in the north-east Delhi riots “conspiracy” case, in New Delhi, Thursday, June 17, 2021. They along with Asif Iqbal Tanha were arrested in May last year under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)

After being released, Tanha said, “Kept hope that I will be released one day; fight against CAA, NRC, NPR will continue.”

The Supreme Court on Friday will hear an appeal filed by the Delhi Police challenging the bail.

Student activists Narwal, Kalita, and Tanha had been booked under the UAPA anti-terror law for their alleged role in the Delhi riots last year.

Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Bedi issued the release warrants at 11 am. At the same time, the lawyers for the three applicants argued before the Delhi High Court for their immediate release. The Delhi High Court had observed that the trial court must expedite the proceedings following which it adjourned the matter.

In the order, Bedi wrote: “From the circumstances forwarded by the IO, I observe that atleast the verification process qua sureties must have been filed by 1:00 pm yesterday all sureties are residents of Delhi. Apropos the the reason forwarded by the IO that verification qua accused’s permanent address would need time. I would say this by itself cannot be a plausible reason for the accused to be kept imprisoned till the time such reports are filed.”

 Student activists Natasha Narwal, and Devangana Kalita outside Tihar prison, after a court ordered their immediate release in the north-east Delhi riots “conspiracy” case, in New Delhi, Thursday, June 17, 2021. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)

The court also said that since the verification process will require some time, the report on this would be filed by the IO on or before June 23 at 2:30 pm with the concerned court.

The court directed the police to verify the address of the accused and submit it at 5 pm on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Bedi had deferred the passing of order on the immediate release citing a “heavy board of bail applications” listed before it. The three accused persons had then approached the HC seeking immediate release.

Senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, who appeared on behalf of Tanha, said, “Once an order of bail is passed, it can’t be obstructed for administrative or ministerial reasons. I can be released and they can go ahead with verification. If it is an issue of verification, I am an accused and they surely know where I stay. My address forms a part of their chargesheet…if it found that there is some problem, I will be back in custody.”

To this, Justice Mridul said, “At the highest we can only express that the proceedings before the HC must be conducted expeditiously.”

Aggarwal told the HC that “by not taking a decision on the application, the trial court has taken a view”.

Advocate Adit Pujari, appearing on behalf Narwal and Kalita, said, “What the Delhi Police has done is that they have very cleverly verified one surety for each appellant and said that there is an error regarding the second surety. The deficiencies are that they did not record the statements of the sureties or neighbours and these were pointed out when they came to our sureties’ houses.”

“Obviously we expect the trial court to expedite the proceedings…This has to be done at a reasonable time. This cannot be an open process,” Justice Mridul said.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad told the HC that imputations are being passed on the state, however, they were only following orders of the court.

Prasad had told the HC: “The bail bond was given at 4:10 (pm) the Special Cell got it at 5.30. We were expected to file the report by 1 pm (next day). All the verification had to be done by one day…during verification certain glaring facts have come. We are not obstructing the release. We don’t have magical powers to verify from Assam and Jharkhand, addresses have certain glaring discrepancies.

 

 

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-riots-case-court-orders-release-of-student-activists-given-bail-2-days-ago-7363172/

 

[timmy]

"They Won't Be Able To Threaten Us With Jail:" Student-Activists Released

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear tomorrow a Delhi Police plea against the Delhi High Court decision to grant bail to the three student-activists

All IndiaReported by Arvind Gunasekar, Edited by Debanish AchomUpdated: June 17, 2021 8:52 pm IST

 

Natasha Narwal and two other student-activists were arrested last year

 

 

New Delhi: 

Student-activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha walked out of Delhi's Tihar jail today, hours after a court ordered their immediate release. They were arrested for alleged conspiracy in the north-east Delhi riots case.

"It shows the desperation of the government... We are women who are not scared of them," Ms Kalita told reporters after coming out of the jail gates, amid a sea of supporters shouting slogans. "We survived because we received tremendous support from friends, from well-wishers. I thank them all," she said.

Ms Narwal said she doesn't want to comment on the case as it's still in court. "However, we would like to thank the Delhi High Court for upholding what we believe in. Any such protest that we have done is not terrorism. It was a democratic protest, led by women," Ms Narwal said.

"They won't be able to threaten us with jail. If they threaten to incarcerate us, that will only strengthen our resolve to carry on our fight," Ms Narwal said. Her father, Mahavir Narwal, died of Covid in May while she was in jail. Her brother, who came to receive her, said they miss their father, who if alive would have come to greet her on walking out of jail.

"I don't know how I will deal with it (father's death)… This should be a reminder for us how the system of incarceration separates us from our loved ones. My case was highlighted. But there are many who are not allowed even one phone call," Ms Narwal told NDTV. "We should ask ourselves, how did we reach such a point where the line between terrorism and dissent has been blurred? People are jailed with frivolous charges. When people protest, it is not terrorism," she said.

ALSO READ

• India Reacts Sharply To UN Special Rapporteur's Remarks On Incarceration of Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita
• Delhi Police Plea Against Bail For 3 Activists In Supreme Court Tomorrow
• On Delhi Activists' Bail, Dramatic Back-And-Forth In Court

Today's order to immediately release the three student-activists came two days after the Delhi High Court granted bail to Ms Narwal, Ms Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha, arrested in May last year under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear tomorrow a Delhi Police plea against the Delhi High Court decision to grant bail to the three student-activists.

 

 

Promoted

Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com

 

All three were given bail on Tuesday on personal bonds of ₹ 50,000 each and two sureties of a similar amount. Other conditions for their release included the surrender of their passports.

CommentsThe high court, while granting them bail on June 15, had observed that "in an anxiety to suppress dissent, the state has blurred the line between right to protest and terrorist activity" and if such a mindset gains traction, it would be a "sad day for democracy".

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/3-student-activists-released-from-tihar-jail-after-bail-from-delhi-high-court-2466305

[timmy]

The high court, while granting them bail on June 15, had observed that "in an anxiety to suppress dissent, the state has blurred the line between right to protest and terrorist activity" and if such a mindset gains traction, it would be a "sad day for democracy".

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/3-student-activists-released-from-tihar-jail-after-bail-from-delhi-high-court-2466305

 

 

[rightwar]

This shows the ineptness of govt's lawyers who couldn't make a water tight case. jail lo kummi thegali such that others will learn a lesson 

pinjra thod anta LOL demented people living in alternate world

 

[jawaani_jaaneman]

Ipatiki NDTV vallu offer letter ichi vuntaru…

[rightwar]

10 minutes ago, jawaani_jaaneman said:

Ipatiki NDTV vallu offer letter ichi vuntaru…

NDTV should be shut down for spreading fake news during riots

modi is too liberal on them

[jawaani_jaaneman]

4 minutes ago, rightwar said:

NDTV should be shut down for spreading fake news during riots

modi is too liberal on them

Nah man…not at all. There is a section of ‘futuristic Indians’ who are deeply concerned about well being of human beings in the country and NDTV keeps them engaged. Or else these batch will be present everywhere…That’s much more dangerous.

[rightwar]

1 hour ago, jawaani_jaaneman said:

Nah man…not at all. There is a section of ‘futuristic Indians’ who are deeply concerned about well being of human beings in the country and NDTV keeps them engaged. Or else these batch will be present everywhere…That’s much more dangerous.

ayithe ok....

[bhaigan]

1 hour ago, jawaani_jaaneman said:

Ipatiki NDTV vallu offer letter ichi vuntaru…

NDTV em karma CNN kuda ichi untadi

appudu vachi western conspiracy ani edusthav anthe na

[jawaani_jaaneman]

Just now, bhaigan said:

NDTV em karma CNN kuda ichi untadi

appudu vachi western conspiracy ani edusthav anthe na

Yeah..edupe kada, Indians ki adi by birth vachina budhi, Sache daaka manatho ne vuntadi…

Needi oka type edupu…naadi oka type edupu.