In the Haldwani violence case, the main accused Abdul Malik did not receive relief from the court, while his son Abdul Moid and driver Mohammad Zahir were granted bail in all three FIRs. The High Court has scheduled the hearing after two weeks.
Banbhulpura: The Nainital High Court on Thursday delivered an important verdict in the high-profile Banbhulpura riot case in Uttarakhand. The court ordered the release on bail of Abdul Moid, son of main accused Abdul Malik, and his driver Mohammad Zahir in all three registered cases. However, Abdul Malik himself has not yet received relief. The court has scheduled the next hearing on his bail plea after two weeks.
Relief for Two Accused After Long Debate
A division bench comprising Senior Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Pankaj Purohit heard the case. During the hearing, the defense argued before the court that Abdul Moid was not present at the scene on the day of the incident and has been imprisoned since last year. The court accepted that there was insufficient evidence against him and issued an order granting him bail in all three FIRs.
Similarly, the court also granted relief to Abdul Malik's driver, Mohammad Zahir. The defense argued that Zahir was merely a driver and had no direct role in the riot. The court accepted this argument and granted him bail.
Accused Nazim Also Granted Bail
The court, after hearing the bail plea of another accused, Mohammad Nazim, also ordered his release. The court stated that no concrete evidence of a serious crime was found in the records against Nazim. Therefore, he is also being released on bail with conditions.
However, the court clarified that all these accused must remain present in court during further investigations or hearings and refrain from participating in any public activities.
Decision on Main Accused Abdul Malik's Plea Deferred
A decision has not yet been made on the bail plea of the main accused, Abdul Malik. The court has directed to re-list it after two weeks. The prosecution informed the court that Abdul Malik faces serious charges such as inciting riots, damaging government property, and disrupting law and order, and investigations are ongoing.
The court stated that until the investigation's status is clear, he cannot be granted bail. For this reason, Abdul Malik will have to remain in judicial custody for now.
Shakeel Ahmed's Bail Plea Rejected
The court rejected the bail plea of Shakeel Ahmed, the then councilor of Banbhulpura. The prosecution, representing the government, stated that Shakeel Ahmed has a criminal history and has two other cases registered against him in addition to the riot charges. Considering this serious, the court denied his bail.
Following this court order, while some accused have received relief, the main accused Abdul Malik and some others will still remain in jail. This decision is considered the next significant turning point in the case, as a major decision on Abdul Malik's plea could be made in the upcoming hearing.
