Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal, who is currently in jail, was granted interim bail on Monday after her father died of Covid-19 on Sunday.
A Division Bench of Delhi High Court comprising of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup J Bhambhani noted that there is nobody else in the family to perform the cremation and last rites and that her father’s body is waiting in the hospital to be accepted, LiveLaw reported.
Natasha was arrested in May last year for allegedly being part of a premeditated conspiracy in the northeast Delhi riots in February that year. She has been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Natasha Narwal’s brother Aakash is also in isolation after he tested positive for coronavirus. “Therefore, there is nobody else in the family to perform the last rites and cremation,” the court observed.
“In the interest of justice, we are of the view that the release of applicant is imperative in this hour of grief and personal loss,” the court further said. She has been granted bail for three months and Delhi Police did not oppose her plea.
Mahavir Narwal could not speak to his daughter before his death, news agency PTI reported, citing sources close to the family.