PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 3 -- The Allahabad high court on Wednesday quashed the detention of Aakriti Chaudhary, a 25-year-old Delhi University history graduate who was taken into custody under the National Security Act in connection with the Noida workers' protest in April 2026. Allowing the habeas corpus petition, a division bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev found that the detention was based on a story "concocted" by the state. The court directed her immediate release, if arrest was not warranted in any other case. According to advocate Charlie Prakash appearing for the petitioner, the court also directed the state to pay compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the petitioner (Akriti Chaudhary), which will be recovered from the salary of district magistrate, Gautam Buddh Nagar. The development came after the court closely examined the sequence of her arrest and the issuance of notices under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and found several procedural lapses. During Wednesday's hearing, the state counsel informed the court that Chaudhary was arrested at 10.56 am on April 12, 2026, and that a notice was issued to her as per law. The state alleged that she had instigated the mob to resort to arson and stone-pelting. On Tuesday, the court had asked the state government counsel to show footage indicating whether Chaudhary had instigated protesters to indulge in stone-pelting or set vehicles on fire. The state sought time to produce the video, but the Bench declined to grant further time, noting that Chaudhary had already spent five months in jail. The court had asked the state government whether there was material showing that she had asked protesters to set vehicles on fire. When the state said that the charge sheet had been filed, Justice Sreedharan observed: "Once the charge sheet is filed, you should have seen where the witnesses have named her." Chaudhary was arrested in connection with cases arising from the Noida workers' protest. The UP Police subsequently invoked the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, against her. Thereafter, Chaudhary approached the high court through a habeas corpus petition challenging her detention....