High Court Grants Bail to Alleged Riots Instigator in Land Case

The Uttarakhand High Court granted bail to Abdul Malik in a land grabbing case, but he remains jailed over February's violent riots in Banbhoolpura. The riots erupted after a court-ordered demolition of an unauthorized madrassa on encroached land. Malik is accused of forging documents to grab land.

The Uttarakhand High Court has granted bail to Abdul Malik, allegedly the mastermind behind the Banbhoolpura violence, in a land grabbing case. However, Malik remains in custody as he has not received relief in the related riots case, where six people were killed.

The state government opposed Malik's bail application, arguing that the Banbhoolpura incident was instigated by Malik's illegal land encroachment. Violence erupted when authorities attempted to dismantle the encroachment, leading to stone-pelting and subsequently escalating into a riot.

The petitioner's counsel contended that the land case was independent of the riots. The unrest began on February 8, 2024, when clashes broke out in the Muslim-majority Banbhoolpura area over the demolition of an unauthorized madrassa. Malik faces accusations of seizing government land through forged documents.

(With inputs from agencies.)