Delhi High Court Upholds Bail for Former Councillor Ishrat Jahan

The Delhi High Court has refused to overturn a trial court's decision granting bail to former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan in connection with the February 2020 riots in Delhi's northeastern region.

A bench consisting of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja rejected a challenge by Delhi Police, which argued that Jahan was closely tied to the riot's conspirators and should have her bail revoked. The court maintained that since the order had been issued four years prior, with no subsequent violations recorded, there was no need to challenge the decision.

Jahan, charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) along with others such as Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, is considered by officials to be one of the masterminds behind the riots that resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries. The violence emerged during protests against the CCCAA and the NRC. Nonetheless, the court found insufficient evidence of Jahan's direct involvement in planning or executing the riots to revoke her bail.