Kanjhawala hit-and-drag case: Delhi court grants bail to Ashutosh Bhardwaj

Delhi court grants bail to accused Ashutosh Bhardwaj in Kanjhawala accident case. The judge orally observed that Bhardwaj's role started after the commission of the offence. A detailed order in the matter is awaited.

New Delhi: A local court here on Tuesday granted bail to Ashutosh Bhardwaj, an accused in the hit-and-run case in which a 20-year-old woman was dragged to death while trapped under a car in the national capital. On Monday, Additional Sessions Judge Susheel Bala Dagar reserved its order on Bhardwaj's bail plea.

"He is admitted to bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs 50,000...," the judge said on Tuesday. The other conditions of bail include the accused not tampering with evidence, not leaving Delhi-NCR, joining investigation as and when required and keeping his mobile phone switched on. The judge orally observed that Bhardwaj's role started after the alleged offence. A detailed order in the matter is awaited.

On Monday, Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava said the police would invoke provisions of Section 302 (murder) in the case and that Bharadwaj's actions were being investigated from the perspective of a conspiracy. An offence of murder may attract death penalty or imprisonment for life and fine.

Six of the seven accused were initially charged under Section 304 related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The offence attracts life imprisonment or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 10 years, besides fine. Bhardwaj's advocate Shilpesh Chaudhary argued that he had come into the picture after the alleged crime and that the offences were available.

Chaudhary had moved the Sessions court after Bhardwaj's bail plea was dismissed by a Metropolitan Magistrate last week. Anjali Singh (20) was killed in the early hours of New Year's day after her scooter was hit by a car, which dragged her for more than 12 kilometres from Sultanpur to Kanjhawala.

The police arrested Deepak Khanna (26), Amit Khanna (25), Krishan (27), Mithun (26), and Manoj Mittal in the case on January 2. Later, they zeroed in on Bhardwaj, who was arrested four days later. Ankush, another accused, surrendered on January 6 and was released on bail the next day. (PTI)