Sambhal,

02 April (HS): The hearing on Zafar Ali's bail application, president of Shahi

Jama Masjid in Sambhal, has been rescheduled until April 4 owing to a lack of a

case diary, a lawyer said on Wednesday. Ali was detained on March 23, and his

bail hearing was previously scheduled for March 27.

However,

the ADJ-II court of Judge Nirbhay Narayan Rai in Chandausi denied him interim

relief and scheduled April 2 as the date for hearing his regular bail

application. Additional district government lawyer Hariom Prakash Saini stated

that during today's session, defense counsel asked temporary release for Zafar

Ali, claiming the lack of a case diary.

However, I contended that his temporary bail had previously been denied,

and hence his plea should be dismissed again.

The court acknowledged this rationale and rejected the interim bail

motion.

The

judge then instructed that the prosecution deliver the case diary on April 4.

Ali

was detained on March 23 after being questioned about the November 24 Sambhal

outbreak amid protests over a court-ordered inspection of the Mughal-era

mosque. On the same day, a Chandausi court denied Ali's bail application and

ordered him to Moradabad Jail for two days of judicial detention.

Ali

was charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, such as

191(2) and 191(3) (rioting), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of

offence committed in prosecution of common object), 221 (obstructing public

servant in discharge of public functions), and 125 (act endangering life or

personal safety of others),

132

(assault or criminal force to deter public servants from performing their

duties), 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of

religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, and so on), 230 (giving or

fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of a capital

offence), and 231 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure

conviction of an offence punishable by life imprisonment or imprisonment).

He

was additionally charged under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Ali

has disputed the claims, claiming he was framed. Tahir Ali, Ali's elder

brother, said the police intentionally sent his brother to jail

before the court panel could record his evidence.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi