NEW DELHI: A court has dismissed the bail plea of a man in a case related to the
Jahangirpuri violence
, saying communal tension is still prevalent in in the area.
Additional sessions judge
Gagandeep Singh said accused Gulam Rasul had been identified by the eyewitnesses who were police officials of the police station concerned and the countrymade pistol that was allegedly used by him during the riots had already been recovered at his instance.
The court also noted that the material investigation was still underway and several offenders were yet to be apprehended. "The apprehension, too, has been expressed by the prosecution that the public witnesses will not come forward as the rioters are known criminal of the area. Therefore, the apprehension of threatening/influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out at this stage if the accused/applicant is enlarged on bail," it said.
The judge further said the chargesheet was yet to be filed and the allegations were serious.
Rasul's counsel had submitted that he had been falsely implicated in the case and in judicial custody since April 19, 2022. He claimed Rasul was not even at the spot, and had no role in the alleged incident. He was apprehended from his house on April 17 and was produced before the court after three days, the counsel argued. "No CCTV footage shows him at the spot. He has clean antecedents," he submitted.
Additional public prosecutor HK Kar, appearing for police, argued that Rasul was arrested on April 19 as he had allegedly used the countrymade pistol during the riots. He claimed that the presence of the accused and his alleged active participation in the riots had been witnessed by the eyewitnesses and he was allegedly an active member of the unlawful assembly that subsequently resulted in the riots.