Delhi Riots: High Court Seeks Police Response On Natasha Narwal's Plea To Travel To UK For Academic Conference

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice on a plea filed by Natasha Narwal, an accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, seeking permission to travel to the United Kingdom for an academic conference and research work.

Justice Amit Bansal sought response of the Delhi Police and listed the matter for hearing on Thursday.

Narwal has challenged the order passed by the trial court on October 06, observing that the right to travel abroad is not absolute and that the pendency of proceedings under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was a relevant consideration.

Narwal is seeking permission to visit the UK from November 02 to December 01.

The trial court judge had noted that the case was pending consideration of charge and that the offences for which Narwal had been chargesheeted under the UAPA were punishable with life imprisonment and, in some cases, even the death penalty.

“Although mere pendency of a criminal case doesn't automatically mean that an accused can never travel abroad but the Court must definitely see the nature of the case and the overall circumstances,” the court had observed.

It had further held that, in view of the seriousness of the case and the stage of proceedings, it did not deem it appropriate to permit Narwal to travel abroad.

Narwal approached the trial court seeking permission to travel to the UK to present a research paper at the 23rd Annual Historical Materialism Conference, scheduled to be held at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, from November 05 to 08.

Her paper is titled “Gendered Carceral Labour as Social Reproduction.”