Detained Under NSA, UP Doctor Kafeel Khan Released From Jail At Midnight

Mathura: After the order from Allahabad High Court on Tuesday, Dr Kafeel Khan was released by the Uttar Pradesh police from jail here at midnight on Wednesday. The Uttar Pradesh (UP) doctor was behind bars under the National Security Act (NSA) for an alleged speech against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA.

The Allahabad High Court in a verdict called his detention illegal and ordered the UP government to release him from the jail. The court said that his speech on CAA did not show any effort to encourage hate or violence.

However, the family said they will file a contempt petition in Allahabad High Court after Mathura jail authorities delayed his release for hours even after the court verdict.

According to news agency PTI, Nuzhat Parveen, Dr Khan’s mother said, “I am very happy that my son is coming out of jail. I will be able to see him, touch him, and feel him after a long time. My son is a good person and he is never against the country or society. Today is my daughter-in-law’s birthday as well, and we are carrying a cake with us as she is in Mathura.”

He was arrested on January 29 this year and was charged under NSA for his speech against CAA at Aligarh Muslim University. However, charges under the NSA against him were cited on him after he was given bail on February 10.

Manoj Kumar, Dr Khan’s lawyer at the Allahabad High Court, said grounds for detention (under NSA) served to Dr Kafeel Khan was in the form of a CD containing a copy of his alleged speech at Aligarh Muslim University. “But no instrument was provided to Dr Khan inside the jail for him to view the CD. Not even a script was given, so Dr Khan never found out what the basic allegations against him were,” Kumar was quoted as saying by NDTV.