Uttarakhand High Court Grants Bail to Two Accused in Haldwani Riots Case
In a significant development, a division bench of the Uttarakhand High Court, comprising Justices Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Pankaj Purohit, granted bail on Wednesday to Zeeshan Parvez, also known as Sebu, and Mehboob Alam. The two individuals are accused in connection with the violent Haldwani Banphoolpura riots that erupted earlier this year.
Conditions and Background of the Bail Order
The bail has been granted subject to the strict condition that the accused are not involved in any other criminal cases. This decision comes after their arrest on February 8, 2024, following the riots that broke out in Haldwani. The violence was triggered when the district administration initiated an anti-encroachment drive targeting alleged illegal structures linked to the main accused, Abdul Malik.
According to official reports, Malik is accused of usurping government land using forged affidavits, constructing illegal buildings, and selling plotted land. When authorities attempted to demolish these structures, they were met with violent resistance, including stone-pelting, which escalated into large-scale rioting. The incident resulted in injuries to government employees, police personnel, and civilians, along with reported loss of lives and significant damage to public property.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
Police registered multiple cases under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
- 147 (rioting)
- 148 (rioting with deadly weapons)
- 149 (unlawful assembly)
- 307 (attempt to murder)
- 395 (dacoity)
- 332 and 333 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant)
- 353 (assault on public servant)
- 427 (mischief causing damage)
- 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance)
- 341 (wrongful restraint)
- 342 (wrongful confinement)
- 393 (attempt to commit robbery)
The second additional sessions judge in Haldwani had pronounced their sentence on March 20, 2025, after which the accused filed an appeal before the High Court seeking bail.
Arguments Presented in Court
During the hearing, the defense counsel argued that Zeeshan Parvez and Mehboob Alam were falsely implicated in the case. They emphasized that the two were not named in the First Information Report (FIR) and pointed out that several other accused individuals had already been granted bail in related matters.
In opposition, the state government strongly opposed the bail plea, alleging the direct involvement of the accused in the violent activities. The prosecution claimed that they participated in stone-pelting, arson, gunfire, and caused extensive damage to government property during the riots.
It is important to note that Abdul Malik, the primary accused in the land encroachment case, has not received any relief from the courts so far. The legal proceedings against him and other involved parties continue as investigations into the broader implications of the riots and the anti-encroachment drive remain ongoing.
