Mahima Srivastav
The 23-year-old labour rights activist was granted bail in the third FIR registered against her by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The Bench of Justice Avneesh Jhingan granted her bail while hearing her Bail Plea wherein it was contended by Senior Advocate RS Cheema that she is not a flight risk and that Bail is Rule, Jail is Exception.
Bail was granted upon a primafacie observation that there was nothing to corroborate the allegations of attempt to murder levelled against Kaur, among other reasons.
Earlier, the Court had directed the prosecution to submit her medical report, the absence of which hindered the hearing of her bail plea on 24th February, 2021.
Kaur was granted bail in two other cases lodged against her alleging extortion. However, she continued to remain in jail as she was arrested in the third case alleging offences under Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 146 (rioting), and Section 353 (assault to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code.
With the High Court granting bail in this third case today, Kaur can now be released from jail.
The High Court had also registered a suo motu case with regard to allegations of her illegal detention and the matter will continue to be heard by the Court. She also further stated that she was falsely implicated and targeted in the case.
The Haryana Police responded by refuting her allegations of any physical or sexual assault.
Nodeep Kaur, a member of the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, was arrested on 12th January when she participated in a protest held by unpaid labourers near the Singhu border and she remains in custody in Haryana’s Karnal jail.
She was arrested by the Sonipat Police on January 12 on charges of attempt to murder, rioting, and assault to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty under the Indian Penal Code, among others and her previous he Bail Plea of was dismissed by a local court on 02nd February, 2021.