NEW DELHI, Feb 21: The Delhi High Court on Thursday declared the arrest of three UNLF cadres by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as “illegal” and ordered their immediate release from judicial custody, unless they are wanted in another case. The court highlighted that the NIA had not obtained a transit remand when transferring the accused from Imphal to Delhi following their arrest.
The three men were arrested on charges related to waging war against the state, with allegations that they were involved in raising funds for the UNLF through extortion, recruiting cadres, and procuring weapons to fuel violence. They were charged under the IPC for criminal conspiracy and waging war, along with offenses under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Despite the court’s ruling, the three will remain in jail as they face separate charges from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ruling came after the NIA’s preliminary objection, raised in October 2024, was rejected by the court. The court stated that the NIA could not engage in “jugglery of statutory provisions” in handling the case.
