Delhi riots: Court directs immediate release of Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal and Asif Iqbal Tanha from jail

On June 15, the Delhi HC granted bail to the three students in the north-east Delhi riots case. (Representative image)

A Delhi court issued warrants for release from jail of Jamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha and JNU students Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal on June 17, who were granted bail on June 15 in the north-east Delhi riots case.

The order came two days after the Delhi High Court granted bail to the three student activists, who were arrested in May 2020 under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The orders on their release were deferred by Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Bedi of Karkardooma Courts after Delhi police sought time to verify the addresses of the accused and the Aadhaar verification of their sureties, reported Live Law.

In the morning on June 17, the activists approached the Delhi High Court saying even after 36 hours of the passing of the bail order they had not yet been released from jail.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and AJ Bhambhani asked the counsel for the accused and the Delhi Police to jointly mention the matter before the trial court at 12 pm.

"The trial court is expected to proceed further with promptitude and expedition and decide the issue placed before it," the bench said.

The High Court will consider the matter today at 3.30 pm.

On June 15, the Delhi HC granted bail to the three students in the north-east Delhi riots case. Terming as "somewhat vague" the definition of 'terrorist act' under the stringent UAPA laws and warning against its use in a "cavalier manner", the high court set aside the trial court orders denying bail to the students, allowing their appeals and admitting them to regular bail.

While granting the bail, the high court directed Pinjra Tod activists Narwal and Kalita and Tanha, who were arrested in May 2020 in connection with alleged larger conspiracy in the riots, to surrender their passports and not to offer any inducement to prosecution witnesses or tamper with the evidence in the case. The three accused shall not indulge in any unlawful activities and shall reside at the address as mentioned in records, the high court said.

Kalita, Narwal, and Tanha are accused in four, three, and two cases respectively relating to communal riots that broke out on February 24, 2020, and will be released from jail now as they have already secured bail in other matters.