Northeast Delhi riots: Man gets bail to ready defence

NEW DELHI: Delhi high court has granted bail to a riot accused allegedly involved in northeast Delhi violence in February this year.
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani granted relief to Mohd Anwar on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the like amount from blood-relatives and ordered him not to leave the National Capital Region without permission of the trial court.
The court rejected the stand of the prosecution opposing bail to Anwar and noted that what “deserves attention is the effect that pre-trial detention has on an accused, especially on his right to brief and consult his lawyers and to prepare his defence, in order to afford to the accused a real and not merely chimerical right to fair trial, as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.”
The court laid down stringent conditions while granting bail, saying that till the time cognisance is taken on the chargesheet and the accused is summoned by the trial court, Anwar will present himself on every alternate Saturday, before the investigating officer of the case.
It also directed that he will not contact or visit or offer any inducement, threat or promise to the first informant or complainant or any of the prosecution witnesses and will not tamper with evidence or indulge in any act that will prejudice the proceedings in the pending matter.
According to the prosecution Anwar was taken into custody on April 3, in connection with another FIR lodged at Dayalpur police station in northeast Delhi for alleged offences of rioting and mischief by fire or explosive substance with an intent to destroy a house. Subsequently, he was arrested in this case.
Besides this case, he is also accused in four other FIRs lodged by the Dayalpur police in relation to the February riots. He was granted bail in two of the four cases. The complainant said, the incident took place on February 14, when a mob was engaged in rioting and destruction of property in certain areas of northeast Delhi.
In its order the court noted that the investigation in the FIR before it is complete and the chargesheet has already been filed on July 1, while co-accused Firoz Khan has already been granted bail by the high court on May 29.