Allahabad HC Quashes Woman's NSA Detention in Noida Protest Case, Calls It 'Concocted'

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday set aside the detention of Aakriti Chaudhary, a 25-year-old Delhi University history graduate, who was held under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with the violent workers' protest in Noida earlier this year.

A division bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Achal Sachdev, while allowing her habeas corpus petition, directed her immediate release unless her custody was required in any other case. The court also ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to pay her Rs 5 lakh in compensation.

The case stems from a massive protest in April, when over 40,000 factory workers across 80 locations in Noida clashed with police. The demonstration, which began over demands for higher wages, turned violent with reports of arson and stone-pelting. Authorities had alleged that Chaudhary instigated the crowd to commit these acts.

However, the court found the state's narrative to be a "concocted story." Scrutinising the timeline of her arrest on April 12, the bench noted significant procedural violations. It observed that the mandatory notice under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was not properly served on her. The court also pointed out that the General Diary entry suggested she was taken into custody before the notice was even prepared.

During the hearing, the state claimed Chaudhary had provoked the mob. When the court asked for video evidence to substantiate this claim, the state sought additional time to produce the footage. The bench declined the request, noting that the petitioner had already spent five months in judicial custody.