Jamia violence: Court grants bail to local politician in three cases

Jul 18, 2020

New Delhi [India], July 18 : Delhi's Saket Court on Saturday granted bail to one man accused of violence in the Jamia Millia Islamia University, Shaheen Bagh and New Friends Colony during the anti-CAA protest.
The court granted regular bail to accused Ashu Khan in all three cases related to protests.
The court while granting bail, observed that Ashu Khan is not required for further custodial interrogation, therefore, no useful purpose would be served by keeping him in custody.
"Considering the circumstances coupled with the fact that investigation has been complete, chargesheet has already been filed and other co-accused persons have been enlarged on bail, the applicant/accused is lying in judicial custody since April 4, 2020, and he is no more required to be in judicial custody," the court said.
The court granted bail to Ashu Khan asking him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 25,000 with one surety of the like amount each in all three cases. The court asked him to appear at each and every stage of the proceedings before it so as not to cause any obstruction or delay in its progress. The court said that he shall not engage in criminal activity.
Besides this, the court also imposed certain conditions including that he shall not make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts to the court or to any police officer or tamper with evidence.
Ashu Khan, represented by advocates Asghar Khan, Abdul Tahir Khan and Tahir Nasir, had sought bail on grounds of parity that other co-accused were already granted bail. Lawyers for him argued that he has been falsely implicated and has nothing to do with the alleged incident.
Public Prosecutors appearing for the Delhi Police had opposed the plea stating that the allegations against the accused are serious in nature. It was submitted that the accused was an active member of the unlawful assembly and had also pelted stones and brickbats on the vehicles and caused damage to public property as well as private property and many police personnel and public persons have sustained injuries.
The Crime Branch had arrested Ashu Khan, a local leader, for instigating violence amid the anti-CAA protests. According to police, Ashu Khan had also assembled a mob when the police evicted Shaheen Bagh protestors from the spot owing to the coronavirus outbreak.
On December 15 last year, a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act near Jamia Millia Islamia turned violent, with demonstrators pelting stones at police and setting public buses and private vehicles on fire.