When the Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to three student activists – Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha – char...
When the Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to three student activists – Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha – charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, it was hailed as a pathbreaking judgement that finally provided a ray of hope for many languishing in jails under the draconian anti-terror law.
However, this elation generated by the orders was short-lived.
The Delhi Police, which is under the control of the Union Home Ministry, immediately filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, which on Friday said that the High Court orders shall not be used as precedent in any proceedings till the next hearing on July 19. The Supreme Court, however, did not stay the bail of the three activists.
The Supreme Court took such a position after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the Delhi High Court order has “tuned the UAPA on its head along with the Constitution” and has virtually acquitted the three and paved the way for others in the case to move for bail.
The bench also expressed surprise that the High Court issued a 100-page order in a bail application by “discussing all laws” and that the interpretation of the UAPA in the bail orders “will...
