PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court has cancelled the bail granted to one Farhan, an accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in broad daylight in 2005.
The court observed, "Leaving the petitioner free is putting the life and safety of witnesses and common citizens at risk. He is also a member of the Atiq Ahmad gang, and it seems that in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj district, writ of the state government does not run, rather writ of dreaded criminal Atiq Ahmad runs."
The bail was granted to Farhan by the sessions court of Prayagraj on November 24, 2005.
In 2019, Krishna Kumar Pal alias Umesh Pal had moved an application seeking cancellation of Farhan’s bail.
In its order on March 2, the court stated that though the trial court, while granting bail to Farhan, had put conditions that he would not tamper with the evidence, give threat to the witnesses and commit any offence in future. But he committed as many as 26 criminal cases after being released on bail on November 24, 2005. Out of 26 cases, three cases each were of murder and kidnapping, two of attempt to murder, one of gang rape, besides offences under the Gangsters Act, Goonda Act, Arms Act and SC/ST Act.
Allowing the bail cancellation application moved by Umesh Pal, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh observed, “The accused, Farhan, is a hardened criminal, who belongs to one of the most dreaded gangs of Uttar Pradesh led by accused Atiq Ahmad. After the accused, Farhan, was set free on bail granted by the trial court, he has committed one offence after the other of heinous nature. He has not only violated the terms and conditions of the bail, but he has also been involved in several offences, including three cases of murder.”
The court mentioned how the star witness in the Raju Pal murder case was also killed in a gruesome manner allegedly by gang members of Atiq Ahmad in broad daylight.
"Considering these facts, this court finds that the accused, Farhan, would be a danger to the witnesses and his freedom would be peril to the lives, safety and security of the law-abiding citizens and witnesses," the court observed while cancelling Farhan’s bail.
