India

Jamia student Safoora Zargar gets bail on ‘humanitarian grounds’

New Delhi: Safoora Zargar, 27-year-old M. Phil student of Jamia Millia Islamia University, who was lodged in Tihar Jail after she was charged under UAPA for her alleged role in the violence in Delhi, was given bail by the Delhi High Court on June 23 on humanitarian grounds.

There were apprehensions raised about the imprisonment of Safoora, who is in the 23rd week of her pregnancy, in the overcrowded Tihar prison amid COVID-19 post her arrest on April 10.

On Tuesday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi police, submitted that without going into the merits of the plea, and without considering this as a precedent, the State has no problem with Safoora being released on bail provided she doesn’t indulge in activities she’s being investigated for.

Safoora should also remain in Delhi, insisted the SG.

Advocate Nithya Ramakrishnan, appearing for Safoora, submitted that she might have to go to Faridabad to consult her doctor.

Based on Government of India’s concession, a bench of Justice Rajiv Shakhdher granted regular bail to Safoora on furnishing a personal bond of ₹10k.

The Court clarified that the order should not be “treated as a precedent” in this case or any other case.

Yesterday, however, submitting its status report in the Delhi High Court, Delhi Police maintained that her pregnancy does not dilute the gravity of her alleged crime and that she is being given adequate medical care in the jail.

It added there have been enough precedents to show not only arrest and detention of pregnant women but also their deliveries in jails, for which guidelines have been laid out in law according to the Supreme Court’s directions.

She had been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act on the allegation that she hatched the criminal conspiracy behind the riots which happened in North East Delhi during February 23-25.

The Delhi Police had filed a report in the Court stating that Safoora is ‘disposed towards creating turmoil’, and that she was part of conspiracy to “destroy, destabilize and disintegrate the Government of India in order to compel to withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the alleged National Register of Citizens”.

 

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