Allahabad HC quashes NSA detention of DU grad Aakriti Chaudhary over Noida protest

Aakriti Chaudhary’s family claimed she was picked up by police from Noida on April 11 in connection with the violence during the workers protest.

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Sep 2, 2026 08:53 PM IST

Allahabad High Court, Aakriti Chaudhary, NSA detention quashed, Noida workers protest, DU, Delhi University

Behind the stringent charges is the police claim that the riots were not organic but rather premeditated.

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday quashed the NSA detention of Aakriti Chaudhary, a 25-year-old Delhi University history graduate, in connection with the Noida workers’ protests which took place five months ago. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves appeared for Chaudhary and confirmed the development with The Indian Express.

Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev quashed the detention.

Chaudhary (25), a history graduate from Delhi University who hails from Durgapur in West Bengal, was booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).

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“The two have been identified as active members of the Mazdoor Bigul Dasta and were found to have played a significant role in the violence, arson, and disorder during the protest,” the police had claimed earlier, adding that Chaudhary and others allegedly incited people in different parts of the district and attempted to disrupt public order.

Allahabad High Court, Aakriti Chaudhary, NSA detention quashed

A bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev heard the matter on Wednesday.

The protests and the violence that followed had prompted a police crackdown that led to 15 FIRs in which hundreds of people were booked and at least 60 put in jail. A month on, families of the accused – from a mason to a history major, from an NIT graduate to a private firm employee – say they are awaiting clarity on what happens next.

Family claims

Chaudhary’s family had claimed she was picked up from the Botanical Garden Metro station in Noida on April 11. Police had said she was initially detained for disturbing the peace and public disorder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, adding, “After taking her into custody, we investigated and found evidence of her involvement in organising the protest.” Charges against her also include attempted murder, intent to cause death or grievous harm during the incident, endangering life or personal safety, and criminal conspiracy.

Somya Panwar

Somya Panwar is a legal journalist at The Indian Express (Digital), where she covers the various High Courts across the country and the Supreme Court of India. Her writing is driven by a deep interest in how law influences society, particularly in areas of gender, feminism, and women’s rights. She is especially drawn to stories that examine questions of equality, autonomy, and social justice through the lens of the courts. Her work aims to make complex legal developments accessible, contextual, and relevant to everyday readers, with a focus on explaining what court decisions mean beyond legal jargon and how they shape public life. Alongside reporting, she manages the social media presence for Indian Express Legal, where she designs and curates posts using her understanding of digital trends, audience behaviour, and visual communication. Combining legal insight with strategic content design, she works on building engagement and expanding the desk’s digital reach. Somya holds a B.A. LL.B and a Master’s degree in Journalism. Before moving fully into media, she gained experience in litigation and briefly worked in corporate, giving her reporting a strong foundation. ... Read More

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