A district court in Noida on Friday denied bail to three individuals accused of orchestrating the April 13 industrial unrest, stating that the allegations indicated a serious case of organized violence and that releasing them could affect witnesses and undermine public confidence.
Court's Observations
Additional Sessions Judge Sunil Kumar-I, while rejecting the bail pleas of Rupesh Rai, Manisha Chouhan, and Himanshu Thakur, noted that the material in the case diary suggested their prima facie involvement. The judge emphasized that the incident had broader law-and-order implications in an industrial area.
“The evidence available in the case diary indicates the applicant’s prima facie involvement in the crime. The incident is serious in nature, involving gang violence and law and order in the industrial area. In such circumstances, granting bail can potentially lead to influencing witnesses and sending an adverse message to society,” the judge remarked.
Background of the Case
The case stems from an FIR filed on April 14 by Rajesh Kumar, the HR head of a garments factory, regarding vandalism, arson, and attacks on police personnel and factory guards during a protest on April 13. The FIR initially named 450 to 500 unidentified individuals. Subsequently, police named seven suspected conspirators, including the three applicants, along with Satyam Verma, Aakriti Choudhary, Aditya Anand, and Shrishti Gupta.
The case was registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 109(1) (attempt to murder), 191(1)(2)(3) (rioting and armed rioting), 121(2) (causing grievous hurt to deter a public servant), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant), 333 (house-trespass to commit an offence), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult or provocation), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), and provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Arguments and Evidence
During the hearing, the defense argued that the arrests were illegal. For instance, Rupesh, an auto driver, was allegedly picked up from Botanical Garden metro station at 7 pm on April 11 and was already in custody before the April 13 violence. However, the prosecution countered with witness statements. In Rupesh's case, the court referred to call detail records from April 5 to 10 and statements alleging he helped mobilize people and funds. In Manisha's case, the court noted that two guards identified her and others from photographs, stating they were present and instigating the crowd.
Next Steps
The bail pleas of the remaining co-accused are expected to be heard between May 25 and 27.
