2020 riots case: Delhi court modifies order to allow Ishrat Jahan to practise law beyond NCR

New Delhi: A local court recently modified its order to grant former Delhi Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan permission to practise law beyond the National Capital Region (NCR).

Jahan, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case, was granted regular bail on March 14, 2022, and was imposed with a condition to not leave the jurisdiction of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

Now, since Jahan is a practising advocate having enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi, she sought the aforementioned relief, stating that since the grant of bail, she has not breached any condition and has always abided by the orders of the court.

“It is prayed that considering the good conduct of the applicant (Jahan), the bail order be modified and the applicant be granted the desired relief,” Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts noted.

The prosecution opposed Jahan’s application arguing that the court has already given reasonable liberty to her and considering her previous conduct during the period when the alleged offences were committed by her, she should not be granted further relief.

However, Judge Bajpai noted that since the grant of bail, the investigating agency or the prosecution did not bring any fact to the notice of the court that Jahan breached any condition of bail.

Thus, the court deemed it just and appropriate to modify the condition as prayed by Jahan.

Accordingly, the court modified the order ruling that Jahan shall neither leave the territory of India without prior permission of the court nor shall she indulge in any kind of criminal activity.