HC issues notice on Shahrukh Pathan's bail plea in 2020 Delhi riots case

New Delhi: The High Court on Thursday issued notice to Delhi Police on the bail plea of Shahrukh Pathan, who had allegedly pointed a pistol at a policeman during the 2020 riots.

Justice Jyoti Singh, overseeing the case, has called for a status report from the prosecution and ordered that Pathan's nominal roll be requisitioned before the next date of hearing, which is scheduled for April 16.

Pathan's counsel argued for his bail on the grounds that the maximum sentence he could face, should he be convicted for his actions during the riots, is ten years, and that he has already served four years in detention.

On December 14, 2023, a Delhi court had dismissed Pathan's bail plea.

Considering Pathan's conduct during judicial custody, court proceedings, and the serious allegations against him supported by eyewitnesses and video footage, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat had found no grounds to grant him bail.

The case revolves around Pathan brandishing a pistol and firing upon a Delhi Police head constable during the communal riots in Jafrabad on February 24, 2020.

The trial court had noted the recovery of a mobile phone from Pathan in prison and expressed dissatisfaction with his conduct, as was seen in footage presented in court.

Additionally, Pathan's behaviour during proceedings on November 24, 2021, where he passed a written slip mentioning a phone number to a co-accused, was noted as a factor in denying bail.

The court had agreed with the Special Public Prosecutor's submission that eyewitness statements and CCTV footage indicated Pathan's involvement in the riotous mob that fired upon the head constable and other members of the public.