By Team Clarion
HALDWANI – In a significant development in the Haldwani violence case, the Uttarakhand High Court has granted bail to Abdul Moeed, son of the main accused Abdul Malik, and his driver Mohammad Zaheer. Both had been in jail for nearly a year following the Banbhulpura riots, which erupted earlier this year. However, the court has decided to keep Abdul Malik in judicial custody, marking a setback for the family.
The division bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Pankaj heard the bail pleas and announced the order on Thursday. While granting relief to Moeed and Zaheer, the bench said the next hearing on Abdul Malik’s bail plea will take place within two weeks.
Abdul Moeed, facing three separate cases, maintained that he had no role in the violence and was not present at the site during the clashes. His lawyer argued that the police had implicated him only because of his relation to Abdul Malik. “My client has been made a scapegoat because he is Abdul Malik’s son,” the defence counsel said. “There is no concrete evidence placing him at the scene of the incident.”
The court, after reviewing the case documents, found no substantial grounds to deny bail to Moeed. It also granted similar relief to driver Zaheer, who was accused of assisting Malik during the riots. Both men were released in three FIRs filed by the police.
At the same time, the court released another accused, Nazim, who had also been jailed for months.
However, the hearing brought no relief for Abdul Malik himself. The court ruled that Malik, seen by authorities as the “main conspirator” of the Haldwani violence, would remain in custody until further notice.
Government lawyer RK Pant opposed Malik’s bail plea, saying, “Abdul Malik’s role is central in provoking the unrest. Several witnesses and digital records link him directly to the incidents.”
The bench also denied bail to Shakeel Ahmed, the then councillor of Banbhulpura, citing his involvement in two other criminal cases in addition to the riot charges.
The Haldwani violence, which broke out in Banbhulpura earlier this year, led to mass arrests and destruction of property, following what locals described as unjust demolition drives targeting Muslim settlements. Human rights groups have repeatedly criticised the state authorities for their selective action against the Muslim community, calling the investigation biased and politically motivated.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.