Allahabad HC seeks UP govt reply on quashing FIR against activist Sadaf Jafar

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Thursday asked the state government to file its reply within two weeks on a petition seeking quashing ofthe FIR filed here against Congress worker Sadaf Jafar for her participation in a protest against the CAA.

The court, however, declined to direct the jail authorities to provide better medical facilities to Jafar after additional government advocate S P Singh said the jail authorities were already providing her all possible medical treatment.

A bench of Justice Shabihul Hasnain and Justice Virendra Kumar II passed the order on a writ petition moved on Jafar's behalf by her friend Naheed Varma.

Apart from challenging the FIR and seeking declaration of her arrest as illegal, the petitioner has demanded that the investigation be conducted by an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police and under court supervision.

The petitioner further demanded that she should be provided hygienic and humane conditions, warm clothes, mattress and bedding in jail.

Jafar, in the plea, has also sought access to home cooked food as per provisions of the UP Jail Manual.

The court posted the matter for the next hearing after two weeks.

Jafar was arrested on December 19, 2019 for protesting here against the amended citizenship law. Her bail plea is pending before the District Court after the magisterial court rejected her plea.

The Hazratganj police booked her under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 and the Criminal Law (Amendment ) Act, 1932.