The Allahabad high court on Wednesday quashed the detention order against a 25-year-old Delhi University (DU) graduate who has been in judicial custody for around five months in connection with the Noida workers’ protest of April 2026, saying her detention was based on a “concocted story”.
The Noida protests began over workers’ demands for higher wages and better working conditions, after a similar wage hike in Haryana. Police used tear gas and force to disperse protesters, and hundreds were subsequently arrested. The state sought more time, but the bench declined, noting that she had already spent five months in jail.
The agitation, which had continued for several days, turned violent on April 13, with incidents of stone-pelting, vandalism and arson reported in parts of Noida’s industrial belt. During Wednesday’s hearing, the state counsel said Chaudhary, a DU history graduate, was arrested at 10.56am on April 12 in connection with cases arising from the protest and that a notice had been issued to her as required by law. The Uttar Pradesh Police subsequently invoked the National Security Act (NSA), 1980 against Chaudhary.
When the state said the chargesheet had been filed, Justice Sreedharan observed: “Once the chargesheet is filed, you should have seen where the witnesses have named her. The state alleged that she had “instigated the mob” to resort to arson and stone-pelting.
Earlier, the court had asked whether there was any material showing that she had asked protesters to set vehicles on fire. Earlier on Tuesday, the high court had asked the state government to produce footage showing whether Chaudhary had instigated protesters to indulge in stone-pelting or set vehicles on fire.
The court also directed the state to pay her compensation of ₹ 5 lakh, according to Charlie Prakash, the petitioner’s counsel. Allowing the habeas corpus petition, a division bench comprising justice Atul Sreedharan and justice Achal Sachdev directed the immediate release of Akriti Chaudhary if her arrest was not warranted in any other case.
