Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a High Court order that granted bail to Jagannath University student Khadijatul Kubra in two separate cases filed under the Digital Security Act, clearing the way for her release.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the order after dismissing two separate criminal appeal petitions filed by the state challenging the HC bail order.
Lawyers BM Elias Kachi and Jyotirmoy Barua who appeared in the court hearing on behalf of Khadijatul Kubra said there is no legal bar for Khadijatul to get released from jail following the Appellate Division order.
The HC on February 16 this year granted permanent bail to Khadijarul Kubra in the cases following her two appeal petitions.
The state then filed two petitions with the SC challenging the HC bail order.
Following the state's petitions, the SC Chamber Judge stayed the HC order of bail and sent the issue to the regular Appellate Division bench for detailed hearing.
Khadijatul Kubra also submitted two petitions to the Appellate Division praying to this court to vacate the Chamber Judge's stay order. Then the apex court held hearing on all the four petitions together.
On July 10, the Appellate Division upheld its Chamber Judge's stay order, and kept the four petitions stand over (waiting for hearing) for four months.
Finally the apex court held hearing on the petitions on Thursday.
Khadijatul Kubra, a student of Political Science at Jagannath University, was arrested on August 27 in 2022 after police pressed charges against her in two cases filed two years ago.