Police hand Neha Bora the material behind her peace bond notice, magistrate gives her until 28 October

Delhi Police on Saturday handed AISA national president Neha Bora the material on which a magistrate issued her a notice to keep the peace, and she was given time to reply, a day after the Delhi High Court refused to step in.

Special Executive Magistrate Ritu Raj, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, heard the matter at Mandir Marg. The magistrate directed the police to supply Bora with the case material and, once it was provided, gave her time to study it and answer the show cause notice. The case will be taken up again on 28 October.

The notice, issued on 17 October under Sections 126 and 130 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, asks Bora to show why she should not furnish a personal bond of ₹10,000 with one surety of the same amount. Police allege she joined protests despite prohibitory orders, urged people to gather at Mandi House on 16 October, and tried to mobilise people for an unauthorised demonstration at Central Park in Connaught Place. She was detained on 16 October and released the next day.

On Friday, Justice Subramonium Prasad of the High Court held that “The Impugned Notice meets the requirements of a show cause notice under Chapter IX of the BNSS”, and found no breach of the Supreme Court’s safeguards at this stage. Bora has said AISA members will not sign peace bonds.

At Saturday’s hearing, lawyers for the police pointed out that Bora had held a press conference before the proceedings and said she should make her case in court rather than in public. Advocates Abhik Chimni and Pranjal Abrol appeared for her.