New Delhi, Oct 27 (UNI) The Supreme Court today granted bail to three men accused in connection with the violence that erupted during a court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, on November 24 last year.
A Bench of Justice P S Narasimha and Justice R Mahadevan passed the order while hearing the bail pleas of the three accused, Danish, Faizan, and Nazir represented by Advocate Sulaiman Mohd Khan.
The violence allegedly broke out when the district and police administration arrived to survey the Jama Masjid, following a November 19, 2024, order of the Civil Judge (Senior Division), Chandausi, in a civil suit.
The purpose of the survey was to ascertain whether a temple once existed on the mosque premises. According to the FIR, several protestors had gathered at the site opposing the survey, which soon turned violent.
The crowd allegedly resorted to stone pelting and firing, leading to injuries among police personnel and damage to government vehicles. The FIR invoked multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 109(1), 125(1), 125(2), 221, 132, 121(1), 121(2), 324(4), 323(B), and 326(F).
It also included offences under Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932, Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, and Sections 3, 25, and 27 of the Arms Act, 1959.
Faizan and Danish had earlier challenged the May 19 order of the Allahabad High Court, which rejected their bail pleas.
Similarly, Nazir had approached the Supreme Court against the May 28 High Court orders in the two FIRs, which alleged his involvement in related incidents arising from the same episode of violence. After hearing the submissions, the Supreme Court allowed their appeals and granted them bail, noting that continued incarceration was not warranted at this stage. The case remains under investigation, and the State of Uttar Pradesh is expected to file a status report on the progress of the probe before the appropriate forum.
