Delhi High Court grants Natasha Narwal permission to travel to UK for research

Activist Natasha Narwal, an accused in the conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots, received a court order permitting her to travel to the United Kingdom between Nov 2 and Dec 1 for a conference and research activities. Justice Amit Bansal’s bench required a personal bond of ₹1 lakh and named her brother, a Haryana resident, as surety. The judges affirmed that the constitutional right to travel cannot be barred under Article 21, but imposed conditions: Narwal must return, hand over her passport within 48 hours of arrival, and avoid public statements on the pending case.

The decision overturns a trial-court ruling that had denied the request, citing the gravity of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act charges and concerns over UK extradition laws voiced by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju. The university’s supervisor letter indicated her physical presence was needed for meetings and doctoral training. The court also directed an undertaking to the trial court confirming her return and non-asylum-seeking intent.