E-Paper
Delhi HC denies bail to Shahrukh Pathan, who pointed gun at cop during riots
A picture of Pathan, 24, showing him pointing a pistol at an unarmed Delhi Police head constable, Deepak Dahiya, during the communal violence last year in Seelampur, went viral on social media.
The Delhi high court on Thursday dismissed a bail plea by Shahrukh Pathan, who allegedly pointed a pistol at a police head constable during the riots that broke out in north-east Delhi in February last year, saying “the video clips have shaken the court’s conscience”.
Justice Suresh Kait said Pathan was not just part of a mob of rioters but he was leading the crowd. “It is hard to believe that the accused had no knowledge that his act may harm anyone present at the spot. The role attributed to the petitioner is not confined to participation in the mob of rioters but of heading the large crowd, holding a pistol in hand and releasing open fire shots,” the judge said.
“...In the opinion of this court, the learned trial court has rightly held that the petitioner is alleged to have participated in riots and his picture speaks a volume about his involvement. Keeping in mind the gravity of offence committed by the petitioner as also the facts of the present case, I am not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner (Pathan),” said the judge.
A picture of Pathan, 24, showing him pointing a pistol at an unarmed Delhi Police head constable, Deepak Dahiya, during the communal violence last year in Seelampur, went viral on social media. He was arrested on March 3 last year from Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district.
The police registered a case against him alleging that on February 24 last year, Pathan was party to the huge crowd which had pelted stones, petrol bombs and fired gunshots on the road between Jafrabad Metro station and Maujpur Chowk.
The court also took strong note of some of the contents mentioned in the petition, which it said are not worth disclosing.
Pathan sought bail on grounds that there was a 50-hour delay in lodging the case against him as the alleged incident took place on February 24, 2020, and the FIR was registered on February 26.
