Delhi riots: Court grants bail to two persons

A Delhi court has granted bail to two persons in a case related to the communal violence in north east Delhi in February last year.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat granted the relief to Shanu and Zarif on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 20,000 with one surety of like amount each in the case of burning of a local person’s house in Jafrabad area during the riots.

The court allowed the bail pleas considering the period of incarceration of both the accused and on the ground of parity.

The accused (Shanu and Zarif) is in judicial custody since April 8, 2020, in the present case. The ground of parity is relevant as co- accused persons namely Aatir and Gulfam were granted bail earlier in this case.

Considering the period of incarceration of accused and in the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, the bail application is allowed, it said in its similar order passed on January 19 in both the matters.

It directed the accused not to tamper with evidence or leave Delhi without its permission.

During the hearing, advocate Abdul Gaffar, appearing for both the accused, claimed they have been falsely implicated in the matter.

Special Public Prosecutor Anuj Handa, appearing for the police, opposed the bail pleas saying they were allegedly part of the unlawful assembly that burned down the house.

Communal violence had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 last year after clashes between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

(Cover: Credit – Getty Images)