Owaisi reminds Chidambaram he passed UAPA; demands apology as Delhi riots accused get bail

Scoffing at Congress MP P Chidambaram's tweets on the student activists in the Delhi riots case, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday, pointed out that it was Chidambaram who had passed the draconian UAPA law. He also pointed out that when Home Minister Amit Shah amended the law in 2019, Congress had supported the passage of the bill. Lamenting that innumerable Muslim & Adivasi lives were destroyed by the law, he said that the three youth 'deserve apology from BJP & INC, not platitudes from men responsible for torture & unjust imprisonment of Indians'.

Owaisi demands Chidambaram's apology for UAPA

On Friday, the ex-Home Minister P Chidambaram welcomed the release of Delhi riots accused Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha terming them an "oasis of hope and inspiration". The Rajya Sabha MP alleged that the ruling establishment is becoming more repressive even after the courts are questioning the police. He added, "Ultimately, truth and justice will prevail".

SC maintains HC's bail to Pinjra Tod activists

On Friday, the Supreme Court refused to stay the bail granted by Delhi HC to the three activists , issuing notice on Delhi police's plea challenging their bail. However, the SC bench comprising of Justices Hemant Gupta and V Ramasubramanian stated that the Delhi HC's observations shall not be used as precedent by any party while seeking relief from any court. Agreeing that the Delhi HC's order had discrepancies, the SC stated that the bail granted to the students will remain unaffected.

On Thursday, Delhi's Karkardooma court issued release warrants to Pinjara Tod activists Natasha Narwal, Devangan Kalita and JMU student Asif Iqbal Tanha after they were granted bail by Delhi High Court. The court turned out Delhi police's plea seeking more time to verify the sureties and addresses of the three activists who hailed from Assam, Rohtak and Jharkhand. The activists were allowed to walk out of Tihar jail at 7 PM.

Delhi HC grants bail

On Tuesday, a division bench of Delhi HC held that the activists were entitled to regular bail subject to a few conditions. It observed that no offence under Sections 15, 17 and 18 of the UAPA is made out prima facie in the chargesheet. The HC noted, "We are constrained to express, that it seems, that in its anxiety to suppress dissent, in the mind of the State, the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and terrorist activity seems to be getting somewhat blurred. If this mindset gains traction, it would be a sad day for democracy". Delhi police have named  Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, Danish, Parvez, Ilyas,  'United Against Hate' chief Khalid Saifi, Congress ex-councillor Ishrat Jahan, Tahir Hussain, RJD youth wing’s Meeran Haider, Pinjda Tod activists Gulfisha Fatima, Safoora Zargar, Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita as accused of 'criminal conspiracy' - leading to Delhi riots which killed 53 in February 2020.