Founder of Stree Chetna, an NGO that works for women’s right and against dowry cases, Shoma Sen is a professor of English at the Nagpur University. Her Left-leaning activities have turned out to be a thorn in the side for the government and it has led to her arrest on fake charges.
Charges
Sections 153A, 501(1)(b), 117, 120B, 121, 121A, 124A & 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) read with Sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 18B, 20, 4 38, 39 & 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA).
Timeline
April 5, 2024
On April 5, 2024, the apex court granted bail to Shoma Sen.
March 16, 2024
On March 16, 2024, the NIA stated “We don’t need Shoma Sen in custody,” after Justices Aniruddha Bose and Augustine George Masih asked them if her detention was required. The Supreme Court granted her bail on April 04, 2024, citing there was not enough evidence to keep her detained.
January 17, 2024
The Division Bench of the Bombay Hight Court directs Sen to approach Trial Court for bail application as it disposed of her bail plea.
December 06, 2023
On December 06, the court once again adjourned her bail for January 10, 2024.
November 28, 2023
The court adjourned her bail hearing on November 28 again
November 24, 2023
The hearing was again adjourned to November 30. The NIA opposed her bail citing that her medical concerns were general and not anything that required bail. They also said they could administer a health check by a medical board if it was required, and requested for adjournment due to the nonavailability of Additional Solicitor General Raju.
November 2, 2023
On November 2, the Supreme Court adjourned the interim bail application for November 24, 2023.
August 23, 2023
On August 23, 2023 a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and SVN Bhatti heard her petition challenging a January 17 Bombay High Court order. This order agreed to hear the interim bail application which was filed arguing for medical reasons and requested a response from the anti-terror agency.
Sen's case before the Supreme Court was that the Bombay High Court refused to review the decision of an additional sessions judge in Pune from November 2019 which had denied her bail in a case involving the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and had asked her to approach the NIA.
May 4, 2023
The Supreme Court, comprising Justices Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia, had issued notices to the NIA and the Maharashtra government for her bail plea.
January 17, 2023
The petitioner, Sen, contested a January 17, 2023, Bombay High Court order that required her to file a fresh bail plea under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. Before this, Sen had submitted a bail application before the Bombay High Court in 2020, which was dismissed in January 2023.
April 15, 2021
Shoma Sen moves Bombay High Court challenging her prosecution under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. She says that the case against her is based on unfounded, forged, hearsay evidence that was planted on digital devices belonging to co-accused Rona Wilson, which were “illegally” seized by the police in complete violation of the law.
November 2, 2018
Her bail plea is rejected.
August 30, 2018
June 6, 2018
Nagpur Police raids the home of Shoma Sen and arrests her. She is imprisoned in the Yerwada Women’s Jail, Pune.
