New Delhi: In a setback for Neha Bora, the Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed her petition challenging a Delhi Police notice directing her to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and one surety assuring that she would maintain peace during the inquiry.
The notice was issued to the All India Students’ Association (AISA) president after her participation in the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ rally on October 16.
That day, Neha was taken into preventive detention by Delhi Police near Mandi House when she was marching with students toward Connaught Place to join the ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the SIR process of electoral rolls.
Neha was released on the morning of October 17, with a Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) issuing a notice directing her to execute a Rs 10,000 personal bond with a surety to maintain peace for a year, alleging she instigated people to breach prohibitory orders.
Neha then approached the Delhi High Court to quash the notice, calling it a vague and factually incorrect measure designed to suppress peaceful dissent.
The defence counsel who appeared for the student leader argued that calling for political change or expressing dissatisfaction with the government falls well within the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
After reserving its verdict on Thursday, Justice Subramonium Prasad passed the order on October 23.
“Writ petition is rejected. However, there are certain directions. All the material to be furnished to her,” the Delhi High Court directed, according to Bar and Bench.