The three accused were arrested over a year ago in the Delhi riots under the stringent provisions of the UAPA.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to three social activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha who were arrested over a year ago in the northeast Delhi riots case filed against them under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani set aside trial court orders and allowed them regular bail on the condition of furnishing Rs 50,000 personal bonds with two local sureties each along with the surrender of their passports and an undertaking to refrain from unlawful activities that could affect investigation.
The court said in its order that "in its anxiety to suppress dissent, in the mind of the State, the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and terrorist activity seems to be getting somewhat blurred. If this mindset gains traction, it would be a sad day for democracy.”
Asif Iqbal Tanha is a student of Jamia Millia Islamia while Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita are PhD scholars at Jawaharlal Nehru University and also associated with Pinjra Tod which is a collective of women who are students and alumni of colleges from across Delhi who fights for women's rights.
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