Delhi High Court denies bail to Shahrukh Pathan in 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case

New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan, who was captured pointing a pistol at a police constable during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.

The bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma dismissed the bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan.

Pathan’s lawyer argued that the maximum sentence he could face in this case is 10 years, given that no injuries were inflicted on anyone, and noted that Pathan has already spent four years in jail.

The case involves FIR 51/2020, registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), and 307 (attempt to murder). These charges relate to the Jafrabad riots, highlighting the severity of the allegations against Shahrukh Pathan.

On December 14, 2023, the trial court denied Shahrukh Pathan’s regular bail plea, stating it found no grounds for granting bail.

The court took into account his behaviour in custody, during court appearances, and the corroborating evidence from eyewitnesses and video footage.

The case involves a shooting incident during the anti-CAA protests, where a protester fired at a police officer in uniform in Jafrabad. This dramatic event was captured by a journalist on his mobile phone, quickly becoming breaking news across media outlets.

Following the riots, police recovered three empty cartridges marked KF 7.65 from the scene. After the incident, Shahrukh Pathan reportedly evaded authorities in Delhi before fleeing to Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, where he was ultimately arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

During questioning, Pathan disclosed that the car he used belonged to his uncle’s son and had been left in a garage in Haryana after breaking down. The February 2020 clashes in northeast Delhi, which erupted between pro- and anti-CAA groups, resulted in at least 53 fatalities.