The Allahabad High Court has rejected the second bail plea of Bablu alias Ballu Musalman alias Islam Beg, a key associate of gangster Vikas Dubey, in connection with the 2020 Bikru massacre in Kanpur.
Accused In Police Ambush Case
Bablu has been behind bars since August 25, 2020, for his alleged role in the ambush that left eight policemen, including DSP Devendra Mishra, dead. The attack took place on the night of July 2, 2020, when a police team raided Dubey’s house in Bikru village to arrest him.
Dubey was killed in a police encounter on July 10, 2020, while being brought back to Kanpur from Ujjain. Police claimed he attempted to flee following a road accident during transit.
Court Refuses Bail Citing Serious Charges
While rejecting the bail plea, Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery noted that the charges were grave and the trial was ongoing. The court held that the duration of Bablu’s custody did not qualify as “prolonged detention.”
“I have considered above submission and considering that trial is proceeding and further taking note of allegations as well as manner of occurrence, therefore, aforesaid period of incarceration cannot be considered to be a prolonged detention, therefore, prayer for bail is rejected,” the court said.
Bablu’s counsel had argued for bail citing the lengthy incarceration, but the court maintained that given the scale of the crime and the evidence on record, the plea lacked merit. With the trial moving forward, Bablu will remain in judicial custody for now.
The case continues to be one of Uttar Pradesh’s most closely watched trials in recent years, involving high-profile accused and serious charges of orchestrating an ambush on law enforcement officials.
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