E-Paper
Bail plea dismissed in northeast Delhi riots case
New Delhi:
New Delhi:
A Delhi court has dismissed a bail application of a man arrested in connection with the murder of a local during the northeast Delhi riots, while observing that the accused might threaten the public witnesses as he lived in his neighbourhood.
Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav dismissed the bail plea of Pardeep Rai in the murder case of one Monis in Brijpuri area. In an order on July 18, the court said the case was sensitive in nature and there were serious allegations against Rai.
“The case is very sensitive in nature. The possibility of the applicant (Rai) threatening the public witnesses, who are yet to be examined, cannot be ruled out as they are residents of the same locality.
“Considering the facts and circumstances of the case in totality, I do not find it to be a fit case for grant of bail. The bail application is accordingly dismissed,” the judge said.
Appearing for the accused, his counsel told the court that Rai was picked up from his house by crime branch officials and falsely implicated in this case. He contended that Rai worked as a taxi driver and had clean past antecedents. He said there was no recovery of any material from Rai in the matter.
Special Public Prosecutor Manoj Chaudhary, appearing for the police, opposed the bail plea, saying an eyewitness in the case had identified Rai to be part of a mob that had allegedly beaten Monis with sticks and swords and also pelted stones.
This eyewitness said Monis had tried to escape, but fell on the ground and later the police deployed at Brijpuri saved him and sent him to the hospital, the public prosecutor said.
According to the prosecution, on February 25, Monis was returning from his father’s home. When he reached the Yamuna Vihar bus stand, he found that riots had erupted in the area.
He was allegedly caught by a mob, beaten up severely due to which he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.
