Prayagraj, September 8: The Allahabad High Court has quashed the National Security Act (NSA) detention of Aakriti Chaudhary, a Delhi University graduate and activist arrested in connection with the April 2026 workers’ protest in Noida. The court ordered ₹5 lakh compensation and strongly criticised the manner in which the preventive detention was imposed.
A division bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Achal Sachdev found serious shortcomings in the case against Chaudhary. The court described the detention as being based on a “concocted story” and held that the material relied upon by the authorities did not justify the use of the stringent NSA.
Chaudhary, 25, had been in custody for around five months after her arrest in cases linked to the Noida workers’ agitation. Police had alleged that she had instigated protesters to engage in arson and stone-pelting. The protests began over workers’ demands for higher wages and better working conditions and later witnessed incidents of violence in parts of Noida’s industrial areas.
The High Court closely examined the sequence of Chaudhary’s arrest and the notices issued under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). It found discrepancies in the records and questioned the legality of the procedure followed by the authorities. The bench noted that the relevant notice appeared to have been prepared after her arrest, describing the procedure as effectively an afterthought.
The court also examined WhatsApp conversations and videos cited by the state. According to the judgment, the state failed to point to a specific message or video showing Chaudhary directly inciting protesters to commit violence, arson or destruction of property. The bench stressed that preventive detention cannot be based merely on allegations, assumptions or opinions.
The court came down particularly hard on Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam, who had passed the detention order. It criticised the administration’s conduct and warned that arbitrary use of state power could push Uttar Pradesh towards an “Orwellian Dystopia.”
The court directed that ₹5 lakh compensation be recovered from the salaries of the officials responsible for the detention, including the district magistrate and other officers involved, down to the level of the police station house officer. It also directed that the court’s displeasure regarding the conduct of the officials be recorded in their service records.
The ruling also reaffirmed the importance of the constitutional right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. However, reports note that quashing the NSA detention does not automatically end the other criminal cases against Chaudhary; she could remain in custody if required in those cases.
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