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Accused Bajrang Dal men get bail in Karnataka moral policing case

The accused had allegedly stopped a group of medical students of a reputed college, including three women, returning from a trip and had questioned them for traveling with boys belonging to different religions

IANS | Dakshina Kannada (Karnataka) | September 29, 2021 11:35 am

Accused Bajrang Dal men get bail in Karnataka moral policing case

Photo: IANS

The five Bajrang Dal activists, who were taken into custody in connection with a moral policing case, were released on station bail, police sources said on Wednesday. The opposition parties, however, have objected to this.

The accused activists were released late on Tuesday. The Congress and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) condemned the ruling-BJP government over the issue.

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The accused had allegedly stopped a group of medical students of a reputed college, including three women, returning from a trip and had questioned them for traveling with boys belonging to different religions on Sunday. The incident had taken place in front of a traffic police inspector and the video had gone viral on social platforms.

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Opposition leader Siddaramaiah questioned the government, saying, “Whether the assault on innocent students by Sangh Parivar goondas was part of a culture propagated by RSS.”

Muneer Katipalla, the President of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) stated that the incident took place in broad daylight in front of a police officer. “Even as the police officer intervened, the accused tried to attack the medical students. They also held a girl students’ hands and tried to drag them out of the car. The police have not added proper legal sections to make the case weak. Since the public pressure was there, the accused were taken into custody and released on station bail,” he charged.

“It is a shameful act. How can they be released on station bail? The police have totally surrendered to the political pressure. It is very clear that local MP and MLA have got them released. We demand the accused should be arrested and local MP and MLA should apologize,” Muneer explained.

The accused had stopped the vehicle in which six students, including three girls, studying in a reputed medical institute were traveling on Sunday. They had gone to the Malpe beach area on a trip and were returning. The accused had stopped the vehicle midway near Surathkal and took details from the students.

One of the students was injured in the incident while being dragged out of the vehicle. A complaint was registered from students in this regard. It was mentioned in the complaint that they were manhandled and abused by the group.

Police Inspector Sharif, attached to the traffic station, who was passing on the same road in his private car stopped the vehicle and controlled the situation. The students were then taken to the police station.

The accused have told the police that they stopped the car as they got information that a group of boys was behaving vulgarly with girls.

The video of the incident taken by one of the passers-by went viral on social media. Sources said that the medical students had gone to an island near Malpe Beach on a trip. They were observed and followed by the accused persons. The investigation is on.

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# India

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010. A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice P V Balakrishnan suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail to him after considering his appeal against the NIA court’s conviction in the case Considering the prolonged detention and citing the potential for trial delays, the court suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail, taking into account that some co-accused with similar allegations had already been released after serving shorter terms. The court noted that he had already spent nine years in jail and that delays in resolving appeals could justify suspending a convict’s prison term. It also observed that other accused in the case had received lesser sentences and had already been released after serving their terms. “The applicant has been undergoing incarceration, at the pre-conviction and post-conviction phases, for over 9 years. Furthermore, the fact that the accused facing the same allegations were earlier imposed a lesser term of imprisonment and have been released after having undergone the sentence is a factor that cannot be ignored. Additionally, the appeals filed by the NIA against the findings of the learned Sessions Judge are being considered in separate appeals, which have not yet been taken up. “There is also the likelihood of delay, as the prime accused has surrendered, and the learned Sessions Judge may have to take up the trial and dispose of it in accordance with the law and some of the original records may be required for that purpose. In view of these facts and circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that the sentence imposed on the applicant can be suspended pending the consideration of the appeal.” The court said The court, however, imposed strict conditions for Nasar’s bail. He is not supposed to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties, refrain from leaving the country without the court’s permission, avoid interfering with the trial or witnesses, and not commit similar offences while on bail The gruesome incident dates back to July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha, was returning from Sunday mass with his family, members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) attacked him, allegedly in retaliation for a question paper he set, which contained a passage that they claimed insulted Prophet Mohammed was derogatory. His right hand was chopped off in this attack. Nasar was accused of playing a critical role in the attack. Investigations revealed his involvement in recruiting gang members, assigning specific tasks, collecting funds, procuring communication devices, and maintaining communication links with key conspirators.

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010.