Allegations against Shahrukh Pathan quite grave, observes Delhi court dismissing his bail plea

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of a Delhi court has dismissed the bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan, the man who allegedly opened fire at police personnel on February 24 during the northeast Delhi violence.

New Delhi: A Delhi court has dismissed the bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan, the man who allegedly opened fire at police personnel on February 24 during the northeast Delhi violence.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat in an order passed on February 4 said that the gravity of the offence and the allegations against the accused are quite grave, adding that the conduct of the accused showed that he does not satisfy the triple test for the grant of bail.

"In view of the above discussion, I am not inclined to grant the relief prayed for. Accordingly, the bail application under Section 439 Cr. P.C of accused Shahrukh Pathan @Khan stands dismissed," the court said in its order.

The lawyer representing the accused during an argument submitted that Pathan has been made poster boy by the prosecution without any basis. The lawyer further stated that the court must consider the gravity of the offence, nature of evidence, the likelihood of accused committing further offences, previous criminal antecedents; and the likelihood of accused absconding or evading process of law while considering the bail application. The lawyer also referred to various orders to contend that the applicant may be granted bail.

The present case is related to a sensational firing incident by an anti-CAA protester on a police officer in uniform which occurred during the riot at the 66 Foota road, Jafrabad on February 24, 2020. The sensational incident was captured by a journalist on his mobile phone which became the top headline on all the news channels and newspapers. After the dispersal of rioters, three empty cartridges bearing the mark KF 7.65 were recovered from the spot by the police.

According to the police, after the incident in February, Pathan initially kept roaming around in the national capital before slipping away to Punjab. He then went to Shamli in Uttar Pradesh, from where he was arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

During the investigation, Pathan revealed that the car he used, belonged to his uncle's son and that he had left the car in a garage in Haryana after it broke down.

At least 53 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured in the violence that took place in northeast Delhi between February 24 and 26 sparked by clashes between groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act.

(ANI)