The Delhi High Court has recently dismissed the bail plea of Narender Meena, a former deputy jail superintendent accused in the murder of Ankit Gujjar.
Ankit was allegedly beaten to death in Tihar Jail in August 2021 for refusing to pay extortion money demanded by jail officials. The High Court previously transferred the case to the CBI for further investigation.
Meena sought regular bail in the CBI case, which was registered on September 10, 2021, under charges related to murder and causing hurt. Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain rejected the bail application after reviewing the facts and submissions.
Justice Jain stated on September 26, “Considering the nature and gravity of the offences, and the likelihood of the petitioner influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence, no grounds for bail are made out. Hence, the present bail application is dismissed.”
The court noted that Ankit Gujjar, an undertrial prisoner, died in judicial custody, with the post-mortem revealing multiple ante-mortem injuries. The trial court had previously observed that Meena attempted to influence witnesses, emphasizing that societal interest must take precedence over the accused’s liberty.
There was no evidence suggesting that any trial delay was caused by the CBI.
The case originated from an FIR registered on August 9, 2021, at Hari Nagar Police Station, following Ankit Gujjar’s murder as ordered by the Tis Hazari Courts, based on a complaint filed by his mother, Geeta Devi. It was alleged that on August 3, 2021, Meena and other jail officials brutally assaulted Ankit and denied him medical attention, ultimately leading to his death. The officials reportedly harassed Ankit to extort money from his relatives.
Ankit’s family filed a petition in the High Court to transfer the investigation from Delhi Police to the CBI, which was granted on September 8, 2021. The CBI subsequently registered an FIR.
A charge sheet was filed against Meena on July 1, 2022, followed by a supplementary charge sheet on September 13, 2022, against six individuals, including Meena.
According to the CBI charge sheet, in June 2021, Meena demanded Rs. 5 lakh from Ankit Gujjar for the use of a mobile phone. The amount was negotiated down to Rs. 2.25 lakh, of which Rs. 2 lakh was paid.
Ankit later refused to pay the remaining Rs. 25,000, which led to intensified harassment from Meena and two other inmates, Gurjeet alias Bobby and Gurpreet alias Badal.
