New Delhi: Pinjra Tod activist and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Natasha Narwal today surrendered at the Tihar Jail after completing 3 weeks of interim bail granted to her by the Delhi High Court following the sudden demise of her father, who succumbed to COVID-19.
“Natasha Narwal has surrendered at Tihar Jail today after completing 3 weeks of interim bail granted to her by Delhi HC following the sudden demise of her father due to COVID 19. We say goodbye to her, yet again, with deep anger and loss, in hope that she is released soon,” tweeted Pinjra Tod on Sunday on Twitter. The group is an autonomous collective of women students fighting for accessible, non-discriminatory university and affordable accommodation.
The group also reiterate its demand for the “immediate and unconditional release” of Natasha, Devangana (Kalita) and all political prisoners.
Earlier, a division bench comprising of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup J. Bhambhani noted that there is nobody else in the family to perform the cremation and last rites and that her father’s body is waiting in the hospital to be accepted.
“In view of the interest of justice, we are of the view that the release of the applicant is imperative in this hour of grief and personal loss and in facts and circumstances of the case. We accordingly release Natash Narwal, the applicant, on three weeks interim bail subject to the following conditions,” it ordered.
The relief was subject to furnishing of a personal bond in the sum of Rs. 50,000 to the satisfaction of Jail Superintendent. The Court thereafter sought details of Natasha’s Residential address. It was informed that a police station is located near her house.
The Court has ordered that she will provide her telephone number to PS SHO Crime Branch, Special Cell. Natasha had earlier filed a bail application on the ground that her aged father had been hospitalized in Rohtak, Haryana on account of being Covid positive. It was also stated that her brother, who was taking care of her father has also tested positive and was consequently unable to take care of their aged father.
The Bench had reserved its orders in Narwal’s bail plea on April 28. Narwal is currently lodged in Tihar prison as an accused in a UAPA case alleging that the anti-CAA protests organized by her were a conspiracy to create communal riots.
Narwal has been accused of various offenses under the Indian Penal Code as well as the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. In January this year, a local Court in Delhi dismissed her bail plea. It observed that the allegations against her are prima facie true and the provisions of UAPA have been rightly invoked her.
In February, the High Court issued notice on an appeal against the said order. Last month, the High Court reserved judgment in her bail plea.