The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant bail to Aakriti Chaudhary, a Delhi University student, who is accused of inciting violence during an industrial workers' protest in Noida on April 13, 2026. A Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan directed her counsel to approach the Allahabad High Court, noting that 93,000 cases are pending at the apex level and questioning the preference for filing under Article 32 instead of pursuing remedies at the high court level.

Chaudhary, along with Manisha Chauhan and Srishti Gupta, was granted conditional police remand by a Noida court earlier in the investigation. Police alleged the accused played a role in inciting violence that included stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism during the protest, which began as a demonstration for wage revisions but turned violent. Officers also cited potential evidence at their residences as grounds for custody.

The Supreme Court simultaneously issued notice to Uttar Pradesh police officials on a separate plea by Keshaw Anand, who alleged torture in custody. Chaudhary's counsel told the court that she was not given grounds for arrest and emphasized her status as a student. Lawyers for the accused were permitted to be present during investigation proceedings.

The court will hear the next steps in the Allahabad High Court, where Chaudhary is expected to file a bail application. The Supreme Court's refusal marks a procedural direction rather than a final determination on the merits of the case.