Satisfactory conduct gets Delhi riots' accused regular HC bail

New Delhi, Oct 19 The Delhi High Court has granted regular bail, subject to certain conditions, to a 60-year-old man accused in a Delhi riots case after finding his conduct during interim bail period to be "satisfactory".

Justice Prathiba M Singh passed the orders after Additional Solicitor General SV Raju informed the court: " ... according to a report by the Investigating Officer, the conduct of the petitioner during the interim bail period has been satisfactory. He has given his mobile number and his daughter's mobile number to the IO. He has also continued to report to the IO on a regular basis and has not indulged in any unlawful activity during the said period."

Petitioner Sharif Khan was accused of being a member of an unlawful assembly in during riots in Khureji Khas area of northeast Delhi in February 2020.

The court directed Khan not to leave Delhi and furnish his own and a family member's mobile phone numbers to the IO and report to him every two days.

In case the investigation officer called him on a particular date, he shall do so and inform accordingly in case of change in mobile numbers.

The court said he shall continue to live at his permanent address given to the IO, who would be free to verify it at any point in time. Any change in address shall be intimated to the IO who shall verify the address, the court added.

His surrendered passport shall remain in the custody of the trial court. The High Court said that the petitioner shall appear before the trial court as and when directed by the IO and fully cooperate with the investigation.

The petitioner shall not indulge in any illegal activity or contact any witnesses or any other persons who are subject matter of investigation in the case and not indulge in any conduct that impedes the investigation, the court directed.

Earlier, the High Court had granted interim bail to Khan for 45 days, considering overall facts and circumstances of this case, especially his age and the fact that he is a permanent resident of Delhi and poses no flight risk.

The court had also directed Delhi Police to file a status report after monitoring the petitioner's conduct during interim bail.

Khan's advocate Badre Alam sought bail on ground of his age and submitted that most of the co-accused were released either on regular or interim bail.

( With inputs from IANS )