Jamia Millia Islamia student Safoora Zargar who was arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), has been once again denied bail by the Additional Sessions judge at the Patiala High Court in Delhi saying it found “no merits” in her application. “I do not find merits in the bail application, it is accordingly dismissed,” said Additional Sessions Judge at the Patiala House Court, Dharmendra Rana, while dismissing the plea filed by Zargar.
Zargar who was arrested by the Delhi Police in the month of April for allegedly leading the anti-CAA protests at the Jaffrabad metro station of Delhi in February 2020 has been earlier denied bail on two previous occasions.
BREAKING: Jamia Millia Islamia student Safoora Zargar, arrested on 10 April in connection with the Delhi Riots, denied bail by Additional Sessions Court judge Dharmender Rana after four hour long hearing at Patiala Court in Delhi. @HuffPostIndia
— Betwa Sharma (@betwasharma) June 4, 2020
Today’s order came on Zargar’s application seeking bail on “medical grounds”. Zargar’s lawyer argued that Safoora Zargar, an MPhil student from Jamia Millia Islamia University, is suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome increasing her chances of a miscarriage. Zargar who was reportedly pregnant at the time of arrest is placed in Tihar jail under judicial custody.
However, Additional Sessions Court judge Dharmender Rana rejected the bail plea saying: “Considering the material on record, it cannot be said that there is no prima facie case made out against the accused.”
He has, however, directed the jail officials to provide adequate medical aid and assistance to Zargar, who is pregnant.
The Jamia Millia Islamia student’s bail petition rejected earlier
Safoora Zargar’s bail plea has been rejected twice earlier. Prior to this one, Patiala court has rejected Zargar’s bail application on May 26 and extended her judicial custody till June 25.
Before that, Metropolitan Magistrate Vasundhara Chhaunkar denied relief to Zargar, noting that the “gravity of offence” against arrested Jamia coordination committee media coordinator Safoora Zargar is serious.
The magistrate, in her two-page hand-written order on April 23, observed that she was “not inclined” to grant bail at this stage as sections 13, 16, 17 and 18 of the UAPA (dealing with terrorist acts or funding) have been invoked against the accused, which is “grave”, “serious is nature” and can only be tried by the sessions court.
Safoora Zargar arrested under UAPA
Zargar was arrested by the Delhi Police on April 10 for allegedly leading the anti-CAA protests at the Jaffrabad metro station of Delhi in February 2020. She has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
She was subjected to a barrage of insults and criticism on Twitter, with many raising aspersions on her dignity and character. Disparaging remarks were made against the legitimacy of her marriage and pregnancy.
Taking cognisance of the online attack against Zargar, the DCW issued notice to the Delhi Police that read, “It is stated that a vilification campaign is being run against her and her unborn child on social media and misogynistic comments are being made. It instated that several comments outraging her dignity and threatening her family have also been made.” The DCW has urged the police to bring to book the perpetrators who have unleashed the online assault against the apprehended Jamia Millia student.
