The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the city police on the bail petition of Pinjra Tod member Natasha Narwal, who was arrested in connection with the communal violence that broke out in February, PTI reported.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University student, currently lodged in Tihar Jail, has challenged a trial court’s order dismissing her bail plea. Justice Vibhu Bakhru directed the police to file their status report within 10 days and posted the matter for next hearing on August 26. “Let the same be filed within the said period with a copy to the learned counsel for the petitioner,” the court said.
Narwal and another Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita were arrested on May 23 in connection with a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in North East Delhi’s Jafrabad area in February. A day later, they were granted bail in the matter by a court in Delhi. Immediately after the court’s order, the Delhi Police moved an application to interrogate the two activists and arrested them in a separate case related to the violence. They were charged with attempt to murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy. Narwal and Kalita have also been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly being part of a “premeditated conspiracy” in the violence.
On June 14, a trial court had dismissed bail pleas of Narwal and Kalita on the grounds that there was no merit in their applications, adding that the investigation is still pending in the case. Kalita has also challenged the trial court’s order and the matter is listed for hearing on August 14.
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