SC transfers Dr Kafeel 'instigating speech' case to Allahabad HC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday transferred to Allahabad High Court the case pertaining to the arrest of Dr Kafeel Khan in connection with his alleged provocative speech against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Aligarh Muslim University in December last year.

A plea had been filed in the top court seeking a hearing into the case and his urgent release.

Earlier, Dr Kafeel Khan was granted bail by the Aligarh court, but before he could be released, Aligarh district magistrate had passed a direction for his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

A writ petition was filed by Dr Khan, through lawyer Fuzail Ayyubi, before the apex court. Ayyubi argued that his client should be released immediately, as he was illegally booked under the NSA.

Dr Khan was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force last month from Mumbai after he allegedly made inflammatory statements at the Aligarh Muslim University during a protest against the CAA on December 12, 2019. He was on February 14 charged under the NSA.