Delhi riots: Man who pointed gun at cop seeks bail in attempt to murder case

PTI, Jul 24, 2021, 1:38 PM IST

New Delhi: Shahrukh Pathan, who allegedly pointed a gun at an unarmed Delhi Police head constable during the 2020 communal riots, has moved a city court seeking bail in an attempt to murder case.

Pathan is an accused in two cases — pointing a gun at head constable Deepak Dahiya and attempt to murder of one Rohit Shukla during the violence.

He is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

In the bail plea, filed through advocate Khalid Akhtar, he stated that the entire investigation is nothing but a ”sham” as the police officials have planted victims, witnesses, evidence, and testimonies.

He said it was done merely to show Pathan as the poster boy of the riot and “instill fear among the Muslims in order to deter them from raising voices against the arbitrary and unconstitutional enactment.” In a written submission before the court, Pathan also brought up the issue of double jeopardy, saying the police has used similar evidence, witnesses, and charges as in the other case lodged against him despite the places of offence being different.

“The applicant does not just deserve bail but also the courts being the first protectorate of citizens liberty must reprimand the police officials,” it stated, adding that his incarceration shows their incompetence.

Akhtar said his only expectation from the court is that the law must operate in uniformity without prejudice and fear.

”Compare the roles of alleged Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Gujjar and Shahrukh Pathan. Gujjar was granted bail in a jiffy. Judiciary cannot be step-motherly,” Akhtar said.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi in February 2020, after violence between the Citizenship (Amendment) Act supporters and its protesters spiraled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and over 700 injured.