On Delhi Activists' Bail, Dramatic Back-And-Forth In Court

Delhi Police had filed the petition seeking more time to verify addresses of the activists; they said the "permanent" addresses were in different states and this posed a travel problem

24 hours after the Delhi High Court allowed their bail, student-activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha remain in jail, with Delhi Police claiming procedural delays in verifying sureties and addresses, and filing a last-gasp petition to deny their release at this time. Ms Narwal, Ms Kalita and Mr Tanha had moved the trial court for their immediate release after they remained imprisoned past the 1 pm deadline set by the High Court yesterday. The matter was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Revinder Bedi, and rapidly devolved into a dramatic back-and-forth between the activists' lawyers on side and Delhi Police's investigating officer and the Special Public Prosecutor on the other. At the end of the hearing the judge said he would pass his order later today