The Delhi High Court on Tuesday has denied bail to Shahrukh Pathan, who was filmed brandishing a pistol at a police constable during the Northeast Delhi riots in 2020.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma dismissed Pathan’s plea, highlighting the serious nature of the charges against him.
Pathan’s lawyer argued that the maximum sentence he could face is 10 years, noting that he has already spent four years in custody and that no injuries were inflicted during the incident.
However, the case, registered under FIR 51/2020, includes severe charges such as rioting (IPC Section 147), rioting armed with a deadly weapon (Section 148), unlawful assembly (Section 149), and attempted murder (Section 307), stemming from the Jafrabad riots.
In December 2023, the trial court had previously rejected Pathan’s regular bail request, citing insufficient grounds for release. The court considered his behavior while in custody, his conduct during court appearances, and corroborating evidence from eyewitnesses and video footage of the incident.
The events in question occurred during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, where a protester was seen firing at a police officer in uniform in Jafrabad. This dramatic incident was captured by a journalist and quickly gained media attention.
Following the riots, authorities recovered three empty cartridges marked KF 7.65 from the scene.
Pathan reportedly evaded capture in Delhi before fleeing to Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, where he was arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police. During questioning, he revealed that the vehicle he used belonged to his uncle’s son and had been abandoned in a garage in Haryana after breaking down.
The February 2020 clashes in northeast Delhi resulted in at least 53 fatalities, underscoring the severity of the situation.
