Two Muslim Men Granted Bail In Delhi Pogrom Case

A Delhi court has granted bail to two Muslim men arrested in connection with the Delhi pogrom. The accused have been identified as Zarif and Shanu.

Additional Sessions judge Amitabh Rawat granted bail to Zarif and Shanu after they furnished a bond of rupees 20,000 with surety of the same amount in the each alleged case of burning the house of the local resident in Jafrabad. Both the accused have been granted bail on the basis of incarceration period and on grounds of parity.

Accused were in judicial custody since April 2020. The court is considering the ground of parity relevant as co-accused Aatir and Gulfam were granted bail earlier in the same case on same grounds.

Advocate Abdul Gaffar appearing for both the accused, during the hearing said that they were falsely arrested in the case.

However, Advocate Anuj Handa, appealing on behalf of police opposed the bail and claimed that both the boys were involved in the unlawful act of burning down the house during the riots.

On February 23, an anti-Muslim pogrom was unleashed in parts of North East Delhi, the worst the city has seen in decades. Over fifty people lost their lives and thousands were left homeless.

The violence is widely acknowledged as an anti-Muslim pogrom that was ignited after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra’s incendiary comments against the peaceful anti-CAA sit-in protests in the area. Mishra had demanded that anti-CAA protesters in Chand Bagh and Jaffrabad be removed within three days. If not, he had warned, his supporters would take matters into their own hands. Soon after, stone-pelting began in the area.

However, a witch-hunt was started against Muslims and hundreds of them have been put behind bars.