Allahabad HC grants bail to Kafeel Khan

Prayagraj, Sep 1 The Allahabad High Court Tuesday granted bail to Dr. Kafeel Khan of Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur who has been booked under the National Security Act (NSA)and is lodged in Mathura jail since his arrest in January this year.

The court asked Khan to submit two sureties of Rs 60,000 each and an undertaking that he will not repeat the offence. The state government had opposed his release on the ground that he would again make provocative speeches and vitiate the atmosphere.

Dr. Kafeel Khan had been arrested for his speeches made during the anti-CAA protests in the Aligarh Muslim University.

Khan was earlier granted bail by the CJM, Aligarh. However, he was not allowed to walk free as the NSA was slapped on him by the Aligarh District Magistrate even before his release.

Khan hit the headlines after the 2017 tragedy at Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, in which several children died due to a lack of oxygen cylinders.

Initially, he was hailed as a saviour for the children for arranging emergency oxygen cylinders, but later, faced action, along with nine other doctors and staff members of the hospital, all of whom were released on bail later. He was also given a clean chit in the departmental inquiry, but his suspension was not revoked.

The petition seeking the release of Kafeel Khan was filed by his mother Nuzhat Parveen.

( With inputs from IANS )