Delhi Police Opposes Bail for Five Accused in Turkman Gate Stone-Throwing Incident
Delhi Police strongly opposed the bail pleas of five main accused in a stone-throwing incident near Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque, close to Turkman Gate, on Tuesday. The police argued this was not a simple assault case but an attack on the system itself.
Prosecution's Arguments Against Bail
Additional public prosecutor Tushar Kadyan presented the prosecution's case. He stated the Municipal Corporation of Delhi was conducting an anti-encroachment drive under a Delhi High Court order. Residents had received prior notice about this action.
The prosecution alleged the accused knew about the drive but deliberately provoked the crowd gathered at the site. Stone throwing endangered police personnel who were facilitating the court order's execution. Some charges in this case could potentially attract life imprisonment.
Since hundreds gathered during the violence and many participants remain at large, releasing these five accused could allow them to influence the ongoing investigation. The investigating officer showed the court photographs from CCTV footage, asserting the presence of two accused - Kashif and Kaif - at the scene.
Defense Counsel's Counterarguments
Counsel Nadeem Khan, representing accused Adnan, highlighted what he called the case's peculiarities. He argued the five accused - Aarib, Kashif, Kaif, Adnan and Sameer - were known to police even before the incident, though none had criminal backgrounds.
Khan claimed the arrests were made to set an example. He pointed out that Adnan was not visible in the CCTV footage the prosecution relied upon to build its case. The defense also questioned the timing of arrests, noting they occurred before the FIR was registered at 10:07 am on January 7.
The five were apprehended starting from 12:30 am on January 7, but their arrests were recorded around 6:30 am. Kaif's counsel presented separate CCTV footage showing him at his residence from 7 pm on January 6 to 3 am on January 7.
Court Proceedings and Additional Developments
Judicial magistrate Sayesha Chada reserved the order for all five accused until January 14. The violence occurred during the intervening night of January 6 and 7.
Two other accused, Imran and Adnan, were produced in court following their arrests. When allegations of custodial violence surfaced, the court examined them in chambers and noted injury marks on Imran's body.
Flagging discrepancies in the medical legal case report, the court directed re-examination before sending them to judicial custody. The case continues to develop as both sides prepare for the next hearing.
