Natasha Narwal | SabrangIndia

Breaking: Natasha Narwal gets interim bail to attend last rites of father

Mon, 10 May 2021 07:10:32 +0000

Image Courtesy:livelaw.in

A Division Bench comprising of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup J. Bhambhani has granted interim bail of three weeks to Natasha Narwal to attend the last rites of her deceased father, Dr. Mahavir Narwal who succumbed to Covid-19 yesterday, on May 9.

Natasha, who has been in jail for over a year, facing under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) charges for her alleged role in the Delhi violence case of 2020, had approached the Delhi High Court for bail to look after her diabetic father who tested positive for the virus. The order was reserved on April 28.

During the proceedings today as per LiveLaw tweet, Justice Mridul asked if there was any member in the Narwal family who could cremate Late Dr. Mahavir. To this, Advocate Adit S Pujari said, “There is no one, your lordships. Her mother passed away 15 years ago. Her brother is down with Covid.”

Justice Mridul: Is there no other member in the family to do the cremation?

Pujari: There is no one, your lordships. Her mother passed away 15 years ago. Her brother is down with Covid.#DelhiHighCourt #NatashaNarwal

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) May 10, 2021

The Bench also noted that her father’s body is waiting at Rohtak hospital, Haryana to be claimed and that the State does not oppose the relief prayed by Natasha Nawal.

Accordingly, she has been directed to be released on a personal bond of Rs.50,000 for a period of three weeks and is expected to surrender before the jail authorities by providing a copy of her RTPCR test report.

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Dr Mahavir Narwal, father of jailed anti-CAA activist Natasha Narwal, dies of Covid

Mon, 10 May 2021 04:39:38 +0000

Image Courtesy:newsclick.in

“Suppose my daughter has to stay in jail for a long time, and the time comes that she won’t be able to see me. I’m growing old, maybe I won’t get to see her…” Dr Mahavir Narwal had told Karawan-e-Mohabbat speaking about his daughter jailed anti CAA-activist Natasha Narwal. The video interview showed the world a proud father who had brought up his children to stand up for what is right, his voice a blend of emotions of a doting father and the pride of a fellow activist.

He had said, “There is nothing to fear about being in jail… my daughter will cope with positivity and come back stronger.” He recalled how Natasha Narwal’s brother Akash kept her room tidy, so that when she returns, everything is in its place. Dr Mahavir Narwal (71), died on Sunday, without being able to meet his only daughter one last time. He succumbed to Covid-19 as well as to a system that seems to have abandoned its people. In fact a few days ago when he had fallen ill, SOS calls had gone out on social media to help find him a hospital bed with oxygen support. It was eventually arranged at a Rohtak hospital, but his health got worse quickly and he passed away on Sunday, May 9. And with that another family, has now been thrown into mourning, made even more tragic, as Natasha remains in jail, while her brother Akash is reportedly in home isolation due to Covid-19. This family cannot even mourn together as things stand.

A retired senior scientist, Mahavir Narwal had always spoken about his close relationship with his children who he raised as a single parent. He has always supported his daughter’s activism, and many have hailed him as the wind beneath her wings as she stood up for human rights and was arrested in connection with a case filed against anti-CAA protesters in Jaffrabad, along with another Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita on May 23, 2020.

Natasha’s bail petition to visit her father in hospital was to be heard today, Monday May 10 stated Pinjra Tod members. However, Dr Narwal passed away without being able to meet his child, one he had been waiting to see since she was arrested last year from her home. Natasha remains in jail as she has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for her alleged role in the Delhi riots. The student led movement Pinjra Tod stated that Dr Narwal fought to prove Natasha’s innocence and remembered him as a “comrade, father, friend, fellow traveller…”

We have lost Mahavir Narwal- comrade, father, friend, fellow traveller. He passed away 2 hrs back due to covid-related complications. This is an immense loss for us and the larger community as for Natasha. He was a rock for many, a voice of sanity in the din.. pic.twitter.com/GO7M6iVZUT

— Pinjra Tod (@PinjraTod) May 9, 2021

A Delhi court had rejected Natasha Narwal’s bail plea, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat disposed of Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal’s bail application on grounds that the allegations against her were “prima facie true”.

Dr Narwal’s passing is “not just one more tragic death. It’s wilful,” said senior journalist-activist Teesta Setalvad, who also called for Natasha’s release as well as that of all political prisoners currently in jail in the midst of the devastating pandemic.

It’s not just 1 more tragic https://t.co/u8BO2YokRZ‘s wilful.Brave Natasha Narwal’s father, Mahavir N passed away today without seeing her, it’s cruel, sick. Natasha is jailed on false chrges. HC reserved orders on her bail plea on 24.04. a forever regret

— Teesta Setalvad (@TeestaSetalvad) May 9, 2021

Tributes are pouring in for Dr Narwal, who retired as a senior scientist from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, and was a senior member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

CPIM expresses deep condolences on the demise of Comrade Mahavir Narwal, a senior member of CPIM.
It is criminal act of the Modi govt that his daughter Natasha Narwal was arrested under UAPA last year and couldn’t even meet her father.
Lal Salaam Mahavir Narwal! pic.twitter.com/B6An9V5y9L

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) May 9, 2021

With Natasha Narwal, her family and @PinjraTod comrades in rage and sorrow, at the death from Covid-19 of Natasha’s father Comrade Mahavir Narwal, who stood by his daughter’s fight for justice. Modi, Shah kept Natasha in jail, denying father & daughter a chance to say goodbye. pic.twitter.com/QsvEDVMw3p

— CPIML Liberation (@cpimlliberation) May 9, 2021

Dr Narwal is being remembered for his activism and his support for all activists, even as she followed his daughter’s court case. “She is absolutely innocent. I know it, I believe it, and I hope for justice from the courts to see her be freed,” he had told The Indian Express shortly after Natasha’s arrest. He had always maintained that the political prisoners were being “intentionally harassed”.

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Why is Natasha Narwal not allowed to register for PhD semesters at JNU?

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:28:07 +0000

Student-activist Natasha Narwal has yet again not been allowed to register for the semester at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Narwal is a confirmed Ph.D. student of Centre for Historical Studies (CHS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), however she was not able to register for the crucial 5th semester (August 2020 to December 2021) as well as 6th semester (January to May 2021) of her Ph.D, revealed a post on the social media page of Pinnja Tod, a students’ rights movement of which she is a prominent member. According to the page this denial is allegedly “due to non-cooperation by the JNU administration.” On May 23 2020 year, Narwal was arrested in connection with a case filed against anti-CAA protesters in Jaffrabad.

The activists stated that “all incarcerated people have the right to pursue education inside jail including “political prisoners currently pursuing higher studies.” Natasha, they said joined the Ph.D. program at the Centre for Historical Studies at JNU in August 2018 and according to the university rules, she remains a part of the program provisionally “till her Ph.D. synopsis, with a definite title and a chapter plan is approved by the Committee for Advanced Study and Research (CASR) of the respective School”. The Pinjra Tod post added that a provisional Ph.D. student must have their synopsis approved within two years of admission to the Ph.D. program and then they become a confirmed Ph.D. student.

According to the post, Natasha has gotten her synopsis approved at the CASR meeting held on March 6 2020. When she was arrested on May 23 2020, Natasha had completed four semesters of her studentship in the Ph.D. program, she has been working on her thesis titield: ‘Building a Space for Women in Delhi: University, Movement and Sociality, 1930s to 1980s.’

However, now the University administration has been denying Natasha permission to register for the past two semesters stated Pinjra Tod, adding that the university has been “uncooperative and vague about the process,” when Natasha’s family and friends have asked for clarifications on the issue. Natasha does not have access to online information as she does not have her ID /password. According to the information shared, Natasha was already incarcerated by the time “she was required to register in August 2020 and could not recall her ID / Password”. It stated that her father Mahavir Narwal even approached the Communication and Information Services (CIS) of the University but his request to issue a new ID but he was refused.

The students group has alleged that this refusal was an exception and no reason was given even though the CIS has been issuing new IDs and passwords to other students who have asked for it. They added that Mahavir Narwal also approached the Registrar of the University but “was told that online registration that happened in August 2020 was provisional anyway due to the pandemic. It would in any case have to be confirmed when the students came back to campus, when their identity cards would be stamped.”

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union have also repeatedly approached the University administration regarding her registration but have not been given any response, stated Pinjra Tod activists. Her lawyers have now had to approach the Delhi High Court with a petition seeking for her to be enrolled into her third year of PhD studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Justice Prateek Jalan of the Delhi High Court issued a notice on the Pinjra Tod activist, and Delhi violence accused Natasha Narwal’s petition seeking to be enrolled into her 3rd year of PhD studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi,

Pinjra Tod has urged the JNU administration to allow Natasha to register and provide her with her login ID and credentials for completing the provisional registration process. They have asked that she be admitted to her in the requisite semester of her PhD program and also be provided her scholarship and fellowship money as she is entitled to as a PhD student of the University.

Delhi court rejects Natasha Narwal’s bail plea

Natasha Narwal of Pinjra Tod gets bail in Delhi riots case

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Delhi HC issues notice on Natasha Narwal’s plea for admission in 3rd year of PhD

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 08:46:56 +0000

Justice Prateek Jalan of the Delhi High Court has issued a notice on the Pinjra Tod activist, and Delhi violence accused Natasha Narwal’s petition seeking to be enrolled into her 3rd year of PhD studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, reported LiveLaw.

The State authorities have been directed to file their counter affidavit in the matter within 2 weeks. In her plea, Narwal has also stated that the whole process of enrolment is online and having no access to digital facilities in prison, she has failed to enrol herself in the program for the third semester, reported the media.

According to a report in LiveLaw, she has prayed for directions to the University to provide her with her login ID and credentials for completing the provisional registration process in order to register in the requisite semester of the PhD program, and provide access to her PhD supervisors. She has also requested permission to access monetary scholarship or fellowship “as is her entitlement as a PhD student of the University.”

On January 28, 2021, a Delhi court denied bail to Natasha Narwal on grounds that the allegations against her were prima facie true. ASJ Amitabh Rawat had held that she was involved in a conspiracy beginning from December 2019 to intentionally block roads to cause inconvenience and disruption of supplies of services essential to the life of community of India, resulting in violence.

The court recorded that she played an active role in the riots by road blocks and disruptive chakka jam, provocative speeches, instigation of women for stock piling sticks, bottles, acid, stones, chilli powder for rioting purposes.

On May 23 last year, Narwal was arrested in connection with a case filed against anti-CAA protesters in Jaffrabad. However, she was immediately released on bail but was re-arrested and booked under UAPA for being part of a ‘premeditated conspiracy’.

Natasha Narwal of Pinjra Tod gets bail in Delhi riots case

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Delhi court rejects Natasha Narwal’s bail plea

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 07:48:45 +0000

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat disposed of Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal’s bail application on grounds that the allegations against her were “prima facie true”.

The ASJ held, “The entire conspiracy beginning from December 2019 of intentionally blocking roads to cause inconvenience and causing disrupting of supplies of services essential to the life of community of India resulting in violence with various means and then leading to the February incident with the focus being targeted blocking of roads at mixed population areas and creating panic and attack on police personnel with facade of women protesters in front and leading to riots would be covered by the definition of terrorist act.”

He believed that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act had been rightly invoked in the present case noting that, “Acts which threaten the unity and integrity of India, in as much as causing social disharmony and creating terror in any section of the people, by making them feel surrounded resulting in violence, is also a terrorist act. ...Even taking the arguments of the counsel for accused at face value that only one side of the road was blocked, it would still be a complete blockage preventing ingress and egress for the people who are surrounded and for whom panic and terror is created.”

Although freedom to protest including the right to oppose any legislation is guaranteed under the Constitution of India, the court observed that it was not an absolute right. He said, “What actually has to be seen in the context of the present case is whether there was a conspiracy which led to riots under the guise of the protest against CAA or not, in terms of the contents of the chargesheet and the accompanying documents.”

The court also noted that Narwal was part of a larger conspiracy and was part of WhatsApp groups on behalf of Pinjra Tod as per the chargesheet filed against her. “She was in active contact with Devangana Kalita, Ishrat Jahan and others” mentioned the chargesheet.

It further said, “The accused played an active role in the riots by road blocks and disruptive chakka jam, provocative speeches, instigation of women for stock piling sticks, bottles, acid, stones, chilly powder for the purpose of the riots. Accused was part of a multi layered conspiracy and in regular touch and reporting to the higher conspirator of Delhi Protest Support Group. She had attended DPSG meeting at Indian Social Institute, Lodhi Road. The Seelampur Protest site was created and preparation for chakka jam followed by riots in the last week of January itself.”

The present bail application was moved by Narwal after filing of the chargesheet by Delhi Police. Adit Pujari, counsel for Narwal sought her release on bail on grounds that no offences under UAPA were made out against her. It was inter alia submitted that the strict conditions of Section 43D were introduced to curb mischief after 26/11 terrorist attack after the repeal of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

He argued that the “protest was organic in nature and was also secular”. Perusing the WhatsApp messages, he contended that Narwal was constantly striving for peace and that “the police did not act as per the Police Rules and many persons whose role is larger than that of the applicant, have not even been arrested and thus, even on parity, bail can be given.”

But the prosecution relied on the chargesheet and reiterated that the present case concerned a “multi-layered, multi-organizational” and “deep-rooted conspiracy” and prima facie case under UAPA was made out. It claimed that the riots of February 2020 were not spontaneous and were hatched by several persons including Narwal.

The court finally took the evidence into account and held that there was “sufficient incriminating material” against Natasha Narwal. Placing on record the statements of all protected witnesses, ASJ Amitabh Rawat said, “there is contemporaneous record which cannot be wished away at this stage of bail.”

The order may be read here:

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Natasha Narwal of Pinjra Tod gets bail in Delhi riots case

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 15:10:05 +0000

A Delhi Court has today granted bail to Pinjra Tod member Natasha Narwal who is accused of instigating the riots that took place in the northeast districts of Delhi, news agencies reported. It was the trial court in Karkardooma granted bail to Narwal in a case registered against her under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The court also directed the Special Cell of Delhi Police to supply a copy of the chargesheet to Narwal by September 21.

Narwal has been lodged in Tihar prison as an accused under three FIRs that have been registered against her for allegedly fuelling the riots. On March 23, Narwal was arrested in connection with a case filed against certain Anti-CAA protesters in Jaffrabad. However, she was immediately released on bail.Soon after being released on bail, another FIR was registered against for allegedly instigating the Delhi riots and she has been in judicial custody ever since.

Narwal has been accused of various offences under the Indian Penal Code as well as the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The cases against her and another member of Pinjra Tod Devangana Kalita, are being investigated by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police. Earlier, Narwal had to move the Delhi High Court for seeking legal interviews with her lawyer through video conferencing and access to books and telephonic calls.

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