Kriti Agrawal –
Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, and Asif Iqbal Tanha, student activists who were granted bail by the Delhi High Court on June 15 in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, have challenged the Trial Court’s decision to defer their release.
They claimed that the Trial Court’s action in deferring decisions on their release despite the High Court’s grant of bail was a violation of their fundamental rights in urgent applications filed before the High Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Today, the Bench consisting of Justice Sidharth Mridul and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani is expected to hear the case.
Plea stated that, notwithstanding their advanced age/professional duties, all of the sureties were physically present in Trial Court on June 15 and June 16. All of the applicant’s sureties, as well as their bonds and FDs, have been brought before the Additional Sessions Judge.
After the Delhi Police requested time to verify the addresses of the suspects and their sureties, Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Bedi of Karkardooma Court stayed the ruling on their release citing heavy board.
The plea adds, “The Applicants continued detention, despite the clear requirement of law, for more than 24 hours after the directive to check sureties is unconstitutional, and their warrants immediate release.”
The Delhi Police have stated that the outstation permanent addresses of student activists must be verified in order for them to be released after the Delhi High Court granted them bail in the larger conspiracy case involving the Delhi Riots.
While requesting more time to file the verification report in the case, Delhi Police stated that because Asif Iqbal Tanha, Natasha Narwal, and Devangana Kalita are permanent residents of Jharkhand, Assam, and Rohtak. The investigating agency will need more time to file the aforementioned verification report.
Aside from that, the Delhi Police has asked the UIDAI to verify the sureties’ Aadhar card information.