The Delhi High Court has granted bail to Safoora Zargar, a 27-year-old student from Jamia Millia Islamia, who was arrested for alleged conspiracy in this year’s Delhi riots. The court granted the bail after the central government agreed to her release on humanitarian grounds.
Nitya Ramakrishnan was representing Safoora while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and ASG Aman Lekhi appeared for the state.
Mehta, according to Livelaw, said that the government agreed, on humanitarian grounds, to release Safoora on regular bail subject to certain conditions. Safoora, who is in her 23rd week of pregnancy, will have to seek the permission of the concerned court before leaving Delhi for any purpose.
Court further notes that this bail order shall not be cited as a precedent either in this case or in any other case#SafooraZargar
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) June 23, 2020
The Delhi High Court, however, made it clear that this order ‘shall not be cited as a precedent either in this case or in any other case.’
Safoora is charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act on the allegation that she hatched a conspiracy behind this year’s Delhi riots that killed more than 50 people.
According to news agency PTI, the Delhi Police in its status report had opposed Zargar’s bail plea. It had informed the court that there was no exception carved out for pregnant inmate, who is accused of such heinous crime, to be released on bail merely because of pregnancy. According to the Delhi Police, 39 deliveries have taken place in Delhi prisons in the last 10 years.