NEW DELHI: Tihar Jail authorities told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday efforts will be made to provide a Pinjra Tod group woman member, arrested in a case related to the communal violence in north-east Delhi earlier this year, legal interviews with her lawyer for 30 minutes, twice a week, via video conferencing.
The prison authorities also said they have no objection to Pinjra Tod (Break the Cage) group member Natasha Narwal sourcing books from outside, provided the material does not infract any provision of the jail rules.
The submissions were made by Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra, representing Tihar Jail authorities, in response to Narwal’s plea that she be provided books and reading material to complete her M.Phil as also 30-minute legal interviews twice a week with her lawyer via video conferencing.
Mehra assured the court that subject to adjustments which maybe required, efforts would be made for two video conferencing facilities of 30 minutes each for Narwal. As per the jail manual, an undertrial is allowed 10 minutes of legal interview with his/her counsel twice a week.
Justice C Hari Shankar said: "This litigation has ended on a happy note. The petition is disposed of." The court also placed on record its appreciation for proactive approach of Mehra which well deserves the status of senior standing counsel (criminal).
Natasha Narwal lodged in Tihar jail
Natasha Narwal, lodged in Tihar jail along with another JNU student and member of the group, Devangana Kalitha, was arrested by the Delhi Police on May 23 in connection with a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in north-east Delhi’s Jafrabad area in February. On May 24, they were granted bail by the trial court in the case, but moments later the police crime branch had moved an application seeking to interrogate them and formally arrest them in a separate case.