Shrikant Tyagi gets bail from Allahabad high court

Justice Surendra Singh granted bail to Tyagi in the case registered under the Gangsters Act, after hearing arguments by senior advocate GS Chaturvedi, assisted by advocates Amrita Rai Mishra and Alok Ranjan Mishra, who appeared for the applicant and additional government advocate Sunil Kumar Tripathi, who appeared for the state government

The Allahabad high court on Monday granted bail to self styled politician Shrikant Tyagi, arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman in Grand Omaxe Society of Noida this August.

A video of Tyagi purportedly heckling and abusing a woman resident of his residential society Grand Omaxe was widely shared on social media, triggering widespread outrage. (Sunil Ghosh/ HT)

Justice Surendra Singh granted bail to Tyagi in the case registered under the Gangsters Act, after hearing arguments by senior advocate GS Chaturvedi, assisted by advocates Amrita Rai Mishra and Alok Ranjan Mishra, who appeared for the applicant and additional government advocate Sunil Kumar Tripathi, who appeared for the state government.

Applicant’s plea was that he was falsely implicated in the case due to political rivalry and that he was not a member of any gang. He also said he has been languishing in jail since August 9, 2022, and in case he is enlarged on bail, he will not misuse the liberty of bail.

On the criminal history of Tyagi -- seven cases were registered against Tyagi between 2007 and 2022 -- the court said, “Learned AGA. has vehemently opposed the prayer for bail but he could not deny the assertion made by the counsel for the applicant regarding the bail orders passed in the aforesaid case crime numbers as well as the final reports submitted and judgment and order passed acquitting the applicant in the case mentioned against him.”

“Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature of allegations, the gravity of the offence, the severity of punishment, the evidence appearing in the case, the fact that the applicant is on bail in the substantive offence, and taking note of Section 19(4)(b) of the U.P. Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, but without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, this Court is of the opinion that the applicant is entitled to bail.” said justice Singh.

Tyagi has been arrested on charges of molestation, rioting, cheating, and relevant sections of the Gangsters Act, and has remained in judicial custody since August 9.

A video of Tyagi purportedly heckling and abusing a woman resident of his residential society Grand Omaxe was widely shared on social media, triggering widespread outrage.

On the basis of the video and the woman’s complaint, a case was lodged under sections 354 (outraging modesty of woman and assault), 447 (criminal trespass), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (insult to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Later, case under sections 2 and 3 of the Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act was registered, which relates to “a leader or member of a gang”.