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The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Professor P Koya's bail plea. His bail plea was dismissed by a special NIA court in December 2024. While, he has been in custody since September 22, 2022, in a case linked with the PFI.
The Division Bench of Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued a notice to NIA. The matter has been listed on May 6, 2025, for hearing. The bench has also directed the registry to produce the trial court before the court if it is received about other related petitions. He has filed a petition through advocate Talha Abdul Rehman against the order dated December 12, 2024, passed by the NIA Court whereby his bail plea was dismissed. It is stated that NIA has filed a charge sheet on March 18, 2023. Thereafter a supplementary charge sheet was also filed on April 19, 2023, where no new material has been brought on record against the appellant. The charges have yet to be framed, and the trial has not commenced. The Appellant's prolonged detention infringes upon their fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution, the plea said. It is further said that Koya has been in custody since September 2022 with no direct evidence, old age, and also the fact that there are more than 240 witnesses, 184 documents and 32 material objects, and trial is yet to be commenced, it makes out a prima facie case for grant of bail. Professor P Koya is 72 years old. He was arrested in an FIR registered by the NIA on April 13, 2022, under sections 120B, 153A IPC and sections 17, 18, 18B, 22B, 38 and 29 of UAPA against 21 accused persons including Koya. On September 27, 2022, the Popular Front of India (PFI) was declared as an Unlawful Association under the UAPA. The organization was banned after the registration of FIR and arrest of the Appellant. (ANI)
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