In a shocking decision, the Rajasthan High Court granted bail to Mohammed Javed, one of the accused in the 2022 murder case of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal. The bail was granted on 5 September 2024, with Javed required to provide a bail bond of ₹2 lakh and a surety of ₹1 lakh.
Kanhaiya Lal was brutally murdered on 28 June 2022 outside his shop in Udaipur. The two main perpetrators, Riyaz Attari and Ghous Mohammed, attacked and beheaded him while recording the gruesome act and threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The video of the killing was subsequently shared on social media. Attari and Mohammed were arrested shortly after the incident.
Javed, who was apprehended by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 22 July 2022, is accused of conducting surveillance and providing crucial information about Kanhaiya Lal’s whereabouts to the attackers. During a search of his residence, authorities found a blunt sword, leading to additional charges under the Arms Act.
The murder was reportedly linked to controversial statements made by former BJP leader Nupur Sharma regarding Prophet Mohammed, which had incited significant protests. Kanhaiya Lal was targeted due to his support of Sharma’s remarks.
In February 2024, a special NIA court framed charges against the accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The charges include murder (IPC Section 302), trespassing (IPC Section 452), promoting enmity between different groups (IPC Section 153A), deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings (IPC Section 295A), criminal conspiracy (IPC Section 120B), and various UAPA provisions.
Other men accused of murdering Kanhaiya Lal, such as Farhad Mohammed, have also been granted bail, while Salman and Abu Ibrahim remain at large. Kanhaiya Lal had previously filed a complaint with the police about receiving threats related to his social media support for Nupur Sharma.
(With inputs from LiveMint)
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