SC orders immediate release of NewsClick founder; says arrest invalid
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New Delhi: After hearing Prabir Purkayastha's plea contesting his arrest by Delhi Police in a case involving the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered his release.
The arrest was declared "VOID" by a bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta since the Remand copy was not produced, invalidating the arrest.
The court said that the release would be done based on the satisfaction of the trial court on the furnishing of bail bonds.
Purkayastha, who was detained by the Delhi Police last year under the UAPA, had his arrest and remand declared invalid by the Supreme Court. Since the chargesheet in the case has been submitted, the Supreme Court ordered his immediate release on bail. The top court further stated that bail surety requirements may be imposed by the trial court, India Today reported.
The ruling from the top court was issued two weeks after it had chastised Delhi Police for its "hot haste" in presenting the NewsClick editor to the magistrate and asked why it hadn't notified Purkayastha's lawyer beforehand.
The Supreme Court bench asked, "Why didn’t you inform his lawyer in advance? You arrested him the previous day in the evening. You had an entire day to inform him. What was the hot haste to produce him at 6 am?”
In its chargesheet against Prabir Purkayastha, the Delhi Police Special Cell presented evidence of his alleged involvement in terrorist acts, illegal activities, funding terrorist operations, and conspiracy.
Additionally, the NewsClick editor was charged with planning to post stories disparaging vaccinations made by Indian pharmaceutical companies and collaborating with Neville Roy Singham and others to undermine the Indian government's efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.