CAA protests: UP court grants bail to activist couple, 56 others

Activists Ekta and Ravi Shekhar returned home to their 14-month-old baby here on Thursday (January 2), a day after an Uttar Pradesh court gave bail to them and 56 others arrested for protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC nearly two weeks ago.

The Shekhars, who run the environment NGO Climate Agenda and made national headlines with many voicing concern about their toddler daughter being left alone, were among the 59 people taken into custody during the protests on December 19.

Ekta Shekhar who was arrested along with her husband during protests against Citizenship Amendment Act in Varanasi on 19th December, has been granted bail. Ekta says, "My baby daughter Champak is dependent on my milk, I was worried about her. It was very tough for me". pic.twitter.com/ZhaIk61P01

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2, 2020

On Wednesday, the court of the additional sessions judge, Varanasi, granted bail to Ekta (32) and Ravi (36), residents of Mehmoorganj, and 56 others, ending their ordeal. “I didn’t think it would take so long,” an emotional Ekta told NDTV as she hugged her daughter after two weeks. “Main bata nahin sakti (I can’t put it in words),” she said when asked how it felt.

The bail application of the couple — nabbed along with other protesters from Left groups from Beniyabagh and nearby localities for violating prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CRPC — was initially cancelled by a lower court and the next hearing fixed for January 1.

In their absence, their baby was being taken care of by her grandmother Sheila Tiwari, uncle Shashikant and her aunts.

Fifty-nine people were arrested, including the two, during police action on protesters in the city on December 19.