Delhi High Court allows police to submit case diary in sealed cover

new delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the police to submit the case diary in the probe in one of the north-east Delhi riots cases, where Pinjra Tod member Natasha Narwal is accused, adding that the Delhi Police will be allowed to submit the relevant case information in a sealed cover.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru's directions came while hearing Narwal's bail plea and stipulated that the police should file the case diary on August 29, posting the matter for further hearing on

August 31.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the Delhi Police, said there is sensitive information in the case diary which cannot be shared with Narwal's advocate at this stage. To this, the judge said a separate web link will be given to the agency's advocate and investigating officer and they can show the relevant portion to the court.

The judge said others, including Narwal's counsel, will not be privy to the proceedings. Advocate Adit S Pujari, appearing for Narwal, did not object to it.

The high court had earlier issued notice to the Delhi Police on the plea challenging a trial court's order which had dismissed the bail application of JNU student Natasha Narwal.

Narwal and another member of the group Devangana Kalita were arrested in the case in May this year by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police and booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including rioting, unlawful assembly and attempt to murder.

They have also been booked under the stringent anti-terror law - Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a separate case related to the communal violence, for allegedly being part of a "premeditated conspiracy" in the riots.

Following a set pattern, the Delhi Police have arrested several student activists like Kalita and Narwal in the riots-related cases. While Kalita's bail petition is pending in the Delhi High Court, JMI student Safoora Zargar was granted bail by the high court here after spending months in jail while pregnant.

Meanwhile, the UAPA case against activists like Zargar, Kalita, Narwal, Khalid Saifi, Umar Khalid, Ishrat Jahan and others has now reached the Delhi High Court with Khalid challenging the trial court's decision to extend the time granted to complete the investigation as mandated by the legislation.

While one such plea by Jahan has already been dismissed by the high court here, this fresh plea challenges a new order of extension approved by the trial court. The high court has already issued a notice to police in the fresh plea.

Moreover, students like Sharjeel Imam, while arrested in the riots case, have other cases pending against them related to the anti-CAA protests.