Allahabad High Court Quashes NSA Detention of Student, Orders Compensation

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday quashed the detention of Akriti Chaudhary, a 25 year old Delhi University graduate, who had been held under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with workers' protests in Noida in April. A bench consisting of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Achal Sachdev ordered her immediate release and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the state for the unlawful detention. Legal representatives for Chaudhary stated that the court indicated the penalty would be recovered from the officials involved in sanctioning the detention, ranging from the District Magistrate to the SHO.

Chaudhary was initially detained on April 11, and the government invoked the NSA on May 13. The Uttar Pradesh government had alleged that she was part of an ideology that used violent means to achieve objectives and had formulated a strategy for a violent movement at a library in Karawal Nagar. Police also cited the recovery of a book titled Great Martyrs of the Indian Revolution as evidence. Chaudhary has been named in 11 FIRs, including charges of criminal conspiracy and attempt to murder, though she has secured bail in five of those cases.

During the proceedings, the court flagged discrepancies in the state's account. The state claimed Chaudhary was arrested on April 12, but the court noted that the police general diary showed she was arrested before the required notice was prepared. Additionally, the state failed to provide video evidence of Chaudhary provoking protesters to engage in stone pelting or arson. Chaudhary's petition argued that she was already in custody before the violence began on April 13.

Reporting on the event, a center lean outlet focused on the arbitrary nature of the detention and the specific charges brought by the state. A center left lean outlet emphasized the court's description of the state's version as a concocted story and provided more detail on the financial struggles of the workers involved in the original protests.