'Five Hours of Silence': AISA President Neha Bora Detained in Delhi
Lawyers and CPI leaders demand answers after AISA President Neha Bora was detained for five hours without her location being disclosed.
A tense standoff unfolded in New Delhi on Friday night as lawyers and political leaders scrambled to locate Neha Bora, the National President of the All India Students' Association (AISA), who had been detained by police. The situation sparked outrage after her whereabouts remained a mystery for over five hours, leading to allegations of procedural lapses and a denial of legal rights.
The Mystery of the Missing Hours
According to reports from Delhi Police sources, Neha Bora was eventually brought to the RK Puram Police Station. However, the journey to finding her was fraught with confusion. Advocate Supantha Sinha, representing Bora, revealed that she was taken into custody around 5:00 PM, but the authorities only disclosed her location at approximately 10:30 PM.
"For five hours, no one knew where Neha Bora was," Sinha stated, emphasizing that the information regarding her detention was withheld from her legal team for a significant duration.
Allegations of Restricted Legal Access
Even after Bora's location was revealed, the legal battle continued. Advocate Sinha alleged that the police obstructed the fundamental right to a private legal consultation. While the police eventually allowed the lawyers to meet Bora, the interaction was conducted under the strict supervision of police personnel.
Sinha pointed out that the lack of a private meeting violated standard legal protections, noting that every conversation between the client and her counsel took place in the presence of officers.
Chaos at Parliament Street Police Station
While Bora was being held at RK Puram, another group consisting of Advocate Manik Gupta and CPI leader Annie Raja arrived at the Parliament Street Police Station to seek answers. Their experience was marked by further frustration.
Advocate Manik Gupta alleged that police officials were preventing lawyers from entering the premises or filing a formal complaint regarding Bora's disappearance. He questioned the legality of the detention, specifically asking how she could be held in custody after sunset and noting that her phone had been seized.
Annie Raja, a leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI), described a scene of total shutdown. She claimed that both the Parliament Street Police Station and the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) appeared non-functional and locked, with officials refusing to engage with the delegation or provide any information.
Claims of Isolation at Anti-Narcotic Task Force
The turmoil began earlier in the day when AISA took to social media to raise an alarm. In a post on X, the association claimed that Neha Bora was being held alone at the Anti-Narcotic Task Force office in Mangolpuri.
AISA alleged that by 8:00 PM, there had been absolutely no communication from the authorities. Furthermore, they claimed that Bora's associates were being blocked from entering the facility by several individuals in civilian clothing, leaving her isolated and without support.