Over two months after she was taken into custody over her alleged involvement in the Delhi riots of February, student-activist Safoora Zargar was granted bail by the Delhi High Court on Tuesday. The bail was granted after Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta did not oppose the bail plea, citing humanitarian grounds.
Mehta, representing Delhi Police, submitted that Zargar can be released on regular bail on humanitarian grounds and the decision has not been taken on merits of the case and should not be made a precedent.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher, who conducted the hearing through videoconferencing, released Zargar.
News agency ANI reported that the Delhi High Court directed Zargar should not be involved in any activities that hamper the investigation against her. She has also been directed not to leave Delhi without permission.
The Delhi High Court directed Zargar to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and a surety of like amount and remain in touch with the investigating officer through phone.
The incarceration of student-activist Safoora Zargar has been in the headlines ever since she was arrested on April 10 on charges of blocking a road near the Jaffrabad Metro Station during a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in late February. Zargar, a research scholar of sociology at Jamia Millia Islamia, had been active in protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. After getting bail in the original case, Safoora Zargar was re-arrested on April 13 under provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and accused of being part of a conspiracy behind the Delhi riots.
In addition to criticism from Indian human rights activists, the arrest of Safoora Zargar, who is pregnant, has also attracted international attention. Zargar was denied bail by a Delhi court earlier this month. While turning down Safoora Zargar's bail plea, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana had noted, “When you choose to play with embers, you cannot blame the wind to have carried the spark a bit too far and spread the fire..."
