Delhi riots: Trial court orders immediate release of Pinjra Tod activists, Jamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha

NEW DELHI: A Delhi trial court on Thursday (June 17, 2021) ordered the immediate release of the two Pinjra Tod activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Jamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha after it was delayed citing ''procedural hurdles by the Delhi Police'' since 15 June.

Northeast Delhi Violence: A Delhi Court orders to release Pinjara Tod activists Natasha Narwal, Devangna Kalita and Jamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha following Delhi High Court bail order of June 15th. — ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2021

The three activists were granted bail by the Delhi High Court on June 15 in a case related to the Delhi riots that took place last year following which they were held under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

After not being released immediately on Tuesday despite the Delhi HC ordering so, the three had moved the trial court. However, the trial court, after hearing the case on Wednesday, had deferred passing the order on Thursday, leading to the activists having to spend another night in prison.

During the course of proceedings, the Delhi Police sought more time from the court to verify their addresses, sureties and authenticity of the Aadhaar cards before releasing them on bail and said that three days would be required to complete the verification process.

Advocate Adit Pujari, representing the accused, had objected to it and alleged that the Delhi Police was intentionally delaying their release despite the order of the high court.

The high court had on Tuesday granted bail to Narwal, Kalita and Jamia Millia Islamia student Tanha, who were arrested in May last year, and directed them to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each along with two sureties of the like amount.

The Delhi Police has, meanwhile, moved the Supreme Court challenging the high court judgement granting them bail in the case.

The three student activists were accused of being the ''masterminds'' of the February 2020 violence, which had left 53 people dead and hundreds injured.
They were arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

After securing bail in the case from the high court, Kalita and Narwal moved to the trial court seeking their immediate release from jail.