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Scroll.in
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
9 granted bail in Nagpur riots case
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to nine persons arrested in connection with the communal riots that erupted in Maharashtra's Nagpur in March, PTI reported. The violence in Nagpur on March 17 took place hours after Hindutva groups held a protest in the city demanding that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar be removed. Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke of the Nagpur bench noted that the custody of the nine arrested persons was not needed anymore. The persons who were granted bail are Absar Ansari, Ashfaquulla Aminullah, Ejaz Ansari, Iftekar Ansari, Iqbal Ansari, Izhar Ansari, Mohammad Rahil, Mohammad Yasir and Muzzamil Ansari. They have been charged under sections of the Arms Act, the Maharashtra Police Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Their counsel had argued that the investigation had been completed, because of which their custody was no longer necessary. The prosecution had opposed the bail plea. The Hindu quoted Senior Public Prosecutor DV Chauhan as having argued that the alleged actions of the nine persons amounted to a ' form of terrorism ' and posed a threat to public order. The court noted that bail was the rule and jail was the exception, the Hindustan Times reported. It granted bail to the men on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each. The bench said that the bail would be cancelled if a crime of similar nature was registered against them, The Hindu reported. The accused men were also warned against tampering with the prosecution evidence or threatening witnesses. One-hundred and twenty-three persons, including 19 minors, were arrested in connection with the violence. In March, Hindutva groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal had stepped up their campaign to demand the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb, claiming that the structure is a 'symbol of pain and slavery'. The two groups convened protests in several cities in Maharashtra on March 17. Hours after the protest by a Hindutva group, clashes erupted in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park at 7.30 pm. Stones were thrown at the police amid rumours that a cloth with the Islamic declaration of faith, known as the Kalma, had been burnt during an agitation by a Hindutva group in the late afternoon. The police, however, denied that such a cloth was burnt. Another clash erupted in Hansapuri, an area close to Chitnis Park, between 10.30 pm and 11.30 pm. The violence also spread to the Kotwali and Ganeshpeth areas.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Mob violence strikes at heart of constitution, says HC, grants bail to nine accused in Nagpur riots
Nagpur: Observing that mob violence strikes at the heart of constitutional order, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to nine men accused in the Nagpur riots, while issuing caution against hate crimes and vigilantism. Riots erupted on March 17 this year over a controversy surrounding Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. "Mobs cannot be allowed to take law into their own hands," noted Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke while quoting Supreme Court rulings. "Nobody has the right to become a self-appointed guardian of law and forcibly administer his or her interpretation of law on others, especially not with violent means," the judge observed. Quoting orders of the apex court in the Kodungallur Film Society's case, the judge described hate crimes as "a product of intolerance, ideological dominance and prejudice" and emphasised that such conduct must not be tolerated "lest it results in a reign of terror." She added, "extra-judicial elements and non-state actors cannot be allowed to take the place of law or the law-enforcing agency." Petitioners Mohammad Iqbal Ismail Ansari and eight others were arrested in March and April this year in connection with the violence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025년 가장 여유 넘치는 농장 게임. 설치 없음 Taonga: 아일랜드 팜 플레이하기 Undo They were booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including rioting, the Arms Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, the Maharashtra Defacement of Property Act, and the Maharashtra Police Act. Defending the accused, senior counsel Avinash Gupta, along with advocates Naved Opai, Shreerang Bhandarkar, Atharva Khadse, Rafique Akbani and Syed Ateeb, argued that their clients were not individually named for any specific crime and the identification process was delayed. Public prosecutors and senior counsel Deven Chauhan and Neeraj Jawade opposed the bail, stating the violence was premeditated and involved use of arms. They cited CCTV footage and video evidence to establish the accused were part of an unlawful assembly that injured police personnel and damaged property. However, Justice Joshi-Phalke ruled that no specific role or overt act was attributed to any of the applicants and the delayed test identification parade diminished its legal weight. "Considering that investigation is over, chargesheets are filed, and no further custodial interrogation is required, continued detention is unwarranted," she said. Each accused has been directed to execute a personal bond of Rs1 lakh with one solvent surety. They must report to local police on the 1st and 15th of every month, avoid involvement in similar offences, abstain from influencing witnesses, and attend trial proceedings unless faced with extraordinary circumstances. The petitioners were accused of forming an unlawful assembly at Bhaldarpura Square, armed with deadly weapons and stones, and attacking police personnel. They allegedly used petrol bombs and hurled abuses at the officers. They were further accused of molesting women police officers and constables. They also allegedly caused damage to public and police vehicles, as per the prosecution.
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bombay High Court grants bail to nine accused in Nagpur riots over Aurangzeb's tomb row
Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke of the Bombay High Court's Nagpur Bench on Wednesday granted bail to nine persons arrested in connection with the riots that erupted on March 17, 2025, against demands for removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The court observed that while the accusations were serious — including charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Arms Act, and multiple State Acts — the investigation was complete, a chargesheet had been filed, and prolonged incarceration without trial would serve little purpose. Disposing of the bail applications, the judge ordered that the applicants — Mohammad Iqbal Ismail Ansari; Mohd. Absar Mohd. Ismail Ansari; Mohd. Izhar Mohd. Ismail Ansari; Mohd. Ejaz Mohd. Ismail Ansari; Mohammad Rahil; Mohammad Yasir; Mohd. Muzammil Ansari; Ashfaque Ullah Khan, and Mohd. Iftekhar Mohd. Sabir — be released on bail on their executing a bond in the sum of ₹1 lakh each with one solvent surety of the like amount each. The accused were arrested under Sections 45, 49, 50, 61(2), 74, 76, 79, 109, 115(2), 117(2), 117(4), 118(1), 118(2), 121(1), 121(2), 125, 126(2), 127(2), 132, 135, 189,(2), 189(3), 189(4), 189(5), 189(9), 190, 191(2), 191(3), 192, 195(1), 195(2), 196(1), 197(1), 223, 296, 324(2), 324(3), 324(4), 324(5), 324(6), 326(F), 326(G), 351(2), 351(3), 352, and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita read with Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, and under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act read with Section 3 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act and under Sections 3, 4, and 5 read with Section 25 of the Arms Act and under Sections 37(1) and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act. The judge ordered that the applicants should not indulge in the similar type of activities and one single registration of the crime of the similar nature would lead to cancellation of bail. They should not induce or threat or promise to any of witnesses connected with the crime in question and should not tamper with the prosecution evidence. The applicants should attend proceedings before the trial on every date without seeking any exemption, unless there were exceptional circumstances. 'It is a settled principle of law that 'bail is rule and jail is exception'. Considering the investigation is already completed and chargesheet is already filed, no purpose will be served by keeping the applicants behind bar and the trial will take its own time for its final disposal,' the judge said. 'Threat to public order' The prosecution strongly opposed the bail, with Senior Public Prosecutor D.V. Chauhan argued that the alleged actions amounted to 'a form of terrorism' and posed a threat to public order and safety. He cited CCTV footage, mobile location records, and a WhatsApp group named 'Sunni Youth Force,' allegedly used to mobilise the mob, as evidence of the applicants' involvement. However, defence counsel — including senior advocate A.V. Gupta and others — countered that the evidence, including Call Detail Records (CDRs) and belatedly conducted test identification parades, did not substantiate specific roles for the accused. They argued that the accused had been arrested primarily on suspicion and had already spent more than three months in custody without trial. Advocate Mohammad Aadil Sheikh, appearing for one of the accused, argued that the probe in the case was complete and hence the accused should be granted bail. According to police reports, stone pelting and arson were reported in several parts of Nagpur on March 17 after rumours began circulating about a 'chadar' with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) seeking the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located at Khultabad town in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Assistant Police Inspector Jitendra Gadge, who was on duty, reported that a large group of nearly 500–600 people from the Muslim community later gathered at the Gandhi Gate, raising slogans and reportedly attacking police personnel with stones and petrol bombs. The applicants also caused damage to the public and government property. Five Deputy Commissioners of Police, one Assistant Sub Inspector and 25 police constables who were trying to keep peace and maintain law and order situation, sustained injuries in the alleged incident. CCTV footage discloses involvement of applicants in the alleged incident. Statements of witnesses disclose involvement of applicants in provoking the public at large. At various places, people started gathering along with weapons and the accused attacked police personnel at Bhaldarpura Square with deadly weapons and stones. They used petrol bombs and abused police officers. The mob also outraged modesty of women police officers and constables and abused them in filthy language. They also caused damage to vehicles, the police charge sheet said. Some persons burnt effigies of grave of Aurangzeb at Shree Chhatrapati Maharaj Statue, Gandhi Gate, Mahal, Nagpur. The said incident was reported by one Faheem Khan by approaching the police station along with 50-60 persons. On the basis of the said report, the crime was registered under Section 223 of the BNSS read with Sections 37(1) and 37(2) and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act against nine persons. More than 123 persons, including 19 juveniles, were arrested by the Nagpur police following the riots.
