NE DELHI RIOTS: JAMIA STUDENT GETS INTERIM CUSTODY-BAIL TO SIT FOR EXAMS

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has granted interim custody-bail to Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) student Asif Iqbal Tanha, arrested in a case related to the northeast Delhi riots last year, for two weeks to appear in his exams scheduled for June 15.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani allowed Tanha to stay at a hotel for studying and appearing in his exams, noting that it is imperative for him to take his three remaining backlogs or compartment examinations to complete his BA (Hons) (Persian) programme.

As agreed by the counsels for the state and Tanha, he will be staying at a hotel in Kalkaji under the custody of two prison guards deputed by the jail superintendent. Tanha has undertaken to bear all the expenses, including food and lodging.

The court said that Tanha would be released on interim custody- bail on the morning of June 13 and shall be brought back to prison by guards on the evening of June 26. “During the period..., the applicant shall not invite to the said facility any visitors or guests...,” the bench said.

As the exam will be conducted online, the court asked Tanha to arrange for a laptop, a basic mobile phone and a dongle for internet connection through a pairokar (representative pursuing his case). The devices will be checked by a police officer before it is delivered to him.

The court also allowed Tanha to make a phone call to his family or counsel for 10 minutes a day during his stay at the hotel.

“During the period of interim custody-bail, the applicant shall be entitled to receive all books and reading/study material that he may require...,” the court.

It also noted that the books and reading material may be in Persian or Arabic and asked the authorities to not withhold them for that reason alone.

In December last year, the high court had granted a similar relief to the accused by directing the jail authorities to take him to a guest house to enable him to study and appear in exams.