Daijiworld Media Network: Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Mar 6: The Supreme Court has stayed the High Court order granting bail to 21 accused of inciting violence in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest in Mangaluru on December 19, 2019. The protest had turned violent causing police to open fire, which led to the death of two people.
The Karnataka High Court had granted bail to the 21 accused. However, the state government challenged the High Court order in the Supreme Court.
“We have proof that the 21 were involved in communal violence,” said solicitor general Thushar Mehta who was arguing on behalf on the state government.
December 19, 2019 anti-CAA protests (file photo)
The Supreme Court bench constituting of Justice S A Bobde, Justice Gavai, Justice Suryakanth issued a stay to the High Court order.
Karnataka High Court Justice John Michael Cunha had passed the order on February 17 while allowing the petitions filed by Ashik alias Mohammad Ashik and 20 others.
“The records indicate that a deliberate attempt has been made to trump-up evidence and to deprive the liberties of petitioners by fabricating evidence. It is not disputed that none of the petitioners have any criminal antecedents..." the order stated.
“There is no direct evidence to connect the petitioners with the alleged offences. The investigation appears to be mala fide and partisan,” the court observed while pointing out that the possibility of false and mistaken implication cannot be ruled out as there were counter complaints against the police.
The court had directed each of the accused-petitioners to furnish a bond for Rs 1 lac and two sureties each for like sum apart from imposing other conditions — to appear before the trial court as required, not threaten or allure the prosecution witnesses, not get involved in similar offences, and to not leave the territorial limits of the trial court without its prior permission.