The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday quashed the preventive detention of Akriti Chaudhary, a History graduate from Delhi University, under the National Security Act (NSA).
The order was passed by a Bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev on a habeas corpus petition challenging Chaudhary's detention.
The development was confirmed to the Bar & Bench by Advocate Charlie Prakash who said that the Court has also directed the Noida authorities to pay a compensation of ₹5 lakh to Chaudhary.
Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, along with advocate Prakash, represented Chaudhary in the case.
Chaudhary will continue to remain in custody as she is yet to secure bail in various cases registered in connection with the industrial workers' protest that took place in Noida in April.
The workers had staged protests to demand better wages and working conditions. The protests had also turned violent, leading to police action against the workers.
Chaudhary had attended a demonstration to express solidarity with the workers. The police accused her of playing a major role in the violence during the workers' protest.
In her petition challenging the detention, Chaudhary said that she had participated in the agitation in her capacity as a social worker and was not an organizer of the protests.
“The allegations contained in the grounds of detention are vague, omnibus, general in nature and devoid of material particulars,” the plea added.