SC dismisses AAP govt plea against bail to Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita in riots case
Judiciary

SC dismisses AAP govt plea against bail to Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita in riots case

The Supreme Court bench questioned Delhi govt's appeal whether being an influential person can be a ground for denying bail and how Kalita can tamper with the witness.

   
A police tape cordons off an area in Northeast Delhi that witnessed the communal riots | Photo: Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

A police tape cordons off an area in Northeast Delhi that witnessed the communal riots | Photo: Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed AAP government’s appeal against the bail granted to Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita in a north-east Delhi violence case.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan dismissed the plea filed by the Delhi government saying that being an influential person cannot be a ground for denying bail.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for Delhi government, said Kalita is very influential person and the high court has stated that there were only police witnesses in the case.

He said there are also some protected witnesses in the case.

The bench questioned Raju that can an influential person be a ground to deny bail? It told the ASG as how she can tamper with the witness.

The bench said it would not interfere with the Delhi High Court’s decision granting bail to Kalita.

On September 1, the high court had granted bail to Kalita in a north-east Delhi violence case, saying the police failed to show she instigated women of a particular community or gave hate speech as she was seen in a peaceful agitation which is her fundamental right.


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