Activist Sadaf Jafar, ex-IPS officer Darapuri, 13 others held for anti-CAA protests granted bail

A court here granted bail on Saturday to social activist Sadaf Jafar and former IPS officer SR Darapuri, besides 13 others arrested in connection with anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. The court of Additional Sessions Judge SS Pandey asked the accused to furnish two sureties of Rs 50,000 each and personal bonds of an equal amount.

The judge had reserved his orders on the bail applications of Jafar, Darapuri and the other accused on Friday, after hearing the individual pleas as well as the submissions of the government lawyer. Allowing the bail pleas, the court directed the accused to cooperate in the probe and appear before the investigating officer as and when they were summoned.

The court further directed the accused not to indulge in any offence while out on bail and try to influence any witness. The court considered the admission of the prosecution that there was no clear evidence so far against the accused regarding their involvement in the arson during the anti-CAA protests and that the police were trying to collect more evidence as the investigation in the matter was still going on.

The court also took note of the fact that the medical reports of the injured policemen said the injuries were not grievous in nature. Finally, the judge said, "In the present case, considering the nature of offences and circumstances and after hearing both the parties, the grounds for bail are enough without commenting on the merits of the case."

According to government lawyer Deepak Yadav, the Hazratganj police had booked the accused on December 19 under IPC sections, including 147 (rioting), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). The accused were arrested in the case and sent to judicial custody.

On Thursday, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply within two weeks on a petition seeking quashing of the FIR filed against Jafar for her participation in a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). A bench of justices Shabihul Hasnain and Virendra Kumar II passed the order on a writ petition moved on Jafar's behalf.

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