The Supreme Court requested the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday to decide the question of release of Kafeel Khan, who was arrested in connection with the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in December 2019, as early as possible.
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“This court has always prioritised personal liberty, even during hard times,” Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, heading a three-judge Bench, remarked.
Dr. Khan’s family decided to withdraw from the apex court and approach the High Court. Giving them liberty to withdraw, the CJI Bench asked the High Court to decide Mr. Khan’s case within 15 days from the date the parties appeared before it.
Dr. Khan is accused of making an inflammatory speech on the Aligarh Muslim University campus during the anti-CAA protests last December. He was booked under the National Security Act.
Dr. Khan, a paediatrician, first shot into focus when 60 children died in a government hospital at Gorakhpur in 2017. He was initially hailed a hero for arranging emergency oxygen cylinders for the sick children, but later arrested on charge of medical negligence. A court finally absolved him of the charge.
