Court quashes detention
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday (August 2, 2026) quashed the detention of Aakriti Chaudhary, a 25-year-old Delhi University history graduate, under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the Noida workers' protest in April 2026. A bench comprising Justices Atul Sreedharan and Achal Sachdev, allowing her habeas corpus petition, found that the detention was based on a story "concocted" by the State. The court directed her immediate release, provided she was not required in any other case, and ordered the State to pay her compensation of ₹5,000.
Chaudhary had been in custody for around five months over cases linked to the protest. The detailed order of the court is awaited.
Procedural lapses examined
The bench's decision followed a close examination of the sequence of Chaudhary's arrest and the notices issued under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). During Wednesday's hearing, the State counsel informed the court that Chaudhary was arrested at 10.56 m. on April 12, 2026, and that a notice was issued as per law. The State alleged that she had instigated the mob to resort to arson and stone-pelting.
The court, however, observed that a proper notice under Section 126 BNSS was not served on the petitioner. The State relied on a notice under Section 130 BNSS. Justice Sreedharan noted: "As per the notice under Section 130 BNSS, if she was willing to give a statement, she wouldn't be arrested. Now look at the GD entry, she was arrested and then the notice was prepared."
The court said the General Diary (GD) entry appeared to indicate that Chaudhary had been arrested before the notice was prepared. Justice Sreedharan further remarked: "That means she was not produced before the magistrate; she had already been arrested. If the notice had been given first, there would have been no GD number, or it would have been prepared by hand."
The court also noted that the State's case appeared to rest on a timeline that did not hold up. Justice Sreedharan observed: "That means there was no violence on the 11th. Whatever violence has happened is after her arrest," referring to the State's statement that people had gathered for the protest on April 11.
Video evidence request
On Tuesday's (September 1) hearing, the court had asked the State to produce video footage showing Chaudhary allegedly instigating protesters to throw stones or set vehicles on fire. When the State sought additional time to produce the footage, the bench declined, noting that Chaudhary had already spent five months in jail.
The State responded that the chargesheet had already been filed, to which Justice Sreedharan said: "Once the chargesheet is filed, you should have seen where the witnesses have named her." The State had relied on witness statements that allegedly named Chaudhary.
The Uttar Pradesh Police had invoked the NSA against Chaudhary and activist-journalist Satyam Verma on May 13. Earlier, Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh had said the police had "strong electronic and videographic evidence" against Chaudhary, Verma and other arrested persons.