'In its anxiety to suppress dissent...': HC's scathing remarks in Delhi riots case

"We are constrained to express, that it seems, that in its anxiety to suppress dissent, in the mind of the State, the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and terrorist activity seems to be getting somewhat blurred," the Delhi High Court observed.

The Delhi High Court made scathing observations over the imposition of UAPA charges against activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha while granting them bail in the northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case. "It seems that in its anxiety to suppress dissent, in the mind of the State, the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and terrorist activity seems to be getting somewhat blurred. If this mindset gains traction, it would be a sad day for democracy," observed a bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani. The court also stated that the government cannot be "allowed to cry wolf" and "draw inference" when no direct evidence exists.