Imagine spending a year behind bar being slapped with draconian UAPA, for what? for associating with a cause? for participating in a protest.? The police while making the arrest, charged them with UAPA for allegedly inciting riots. Since May 2020 they have been in jail. While the pandemic changed the world outside, people grew close to their loved ones, they had to spend their days behind bars. Today, more than a year later, they have received a little relief. I am Talking about three activists, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Tanha. Both Natasha and Devangana are PHD scholars at Jawaharlal Nehru University and associated with the Pinjara Tod Collective. In the FIR which was lodged by Delhi Police in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, a total of 15 people were named and Tanha, Narwal and Kalita were part of them. The police claimed that Tanha played an active role in orchestrating the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. It was also alleged he is a close associate of Safoora Zargar, Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others, and thet he is a “”key members of anti-CAA protests and subsequent riots in the national Capital””. It was also submitted that Tanha conspired, along with others, to “”overthrow the Government”” by setting up a chakka jam (road blockade) in Muslim-dominated areas. Narwal, had been accused of various offences under the IPC as well as the provisions of the UAPA in connection with the North East Delhi riots. It was alleged that Natasha was involved in instigating the local population in certain Muslim dominated areas in Delhi, particularly women, to protest against CAA and NRC by allegedly seeking to incite feelings of persecution. Furthermore, it was also alleged that being part of Pinjira Tod, Delhi Protests Support Group and the Jamia Coordination Committee, she had participated in a so-called larger conspiracy in causing the riots. Today, the Delhi High Court bench of Justices Sidharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani allowed bail to all the three activists. The bailis subject to a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and two local sureties. The accused will also have to surrender their passports and not indulge in activities that could hamper the investigation in the case.
#DelhiHC #NatashaNarwal #DebanganaKalita #AsifTanha #UAPA #RightToProtest
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