SC dismisses police’s pleas against bail to 3 students

The SC also refused the police’s request for adjournment

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the Delhi police's appeals against the bail granted in June 2021 to three student activists in a case related to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, saying they are out on bail for almost two years and it sees no purpose in keeping the matter alive.

A bench of Justices S K Kaul and A Amanullah passed the order while hearing the pleas filed by police challenging the Delhi High Court's June 15, 2021, verdicts granting bail to activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha in a case related to communal violence during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

The SC noted that in its June 18, 2021, order passed in the matter, it had observed that the high court verdicts shall not be treated as precedent and may not be relied upon by any of the parties in any of the proceedings. "We close the proceedings," the bench said, adding, "We make it clear that we have not gone into the legal position regarding statutory interpretation one way or the other."

The HC had granted them bail, saying in an anxiety to suppress dissent, the State has blurred the line between the right to protest and terrorist activity, and if such a mindset gains traction, it would be a "sad day for democracy".

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever