Saharanpur clashes: HC gives bail to Bhim Army chief

The Allahabad High Court today granted bail to Chandrashekhar, the chief of dalit outfit Bhim Army who was arrested on June 8 in connection with Thakur- Dalit clash in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district.
Justice Mukhtar Ahmed allowed the bail plea of accused Chandrashekhar alias Ravan, accepting the argument of his counsel that neither any specific role had been assigned to the applicant in the FIR nor it was alleged that he was possessing any weapon at the time of riot.
Appearing on behalf of the accused, advocate I M Khan pleaded that his client has been falsely implicated in the case.

He alleged that the members of Pratap Sena outfit entered into a locality of families belonging to scheduled castes in Saharanpur and burned down houses and properties for which an FIR was lodged on May 6, 2017.
As a counter, an FIR was lodged after three days, on May 9, 2017, at police station Saharanpur Dehat against the applicant and 250 unknown person alleging loot, assault, causing injurys to public servants, provocation of public to cause riot and attempt to murder.
The court accepted the argument that the FIR was lodged after a delay of three days as a counter, Khan said.

After hearing the counsel for the applicant and the state government, the court granted relief to Chandrashekhar, a lawyer by profession.
He was arrested on June 8 by the Uttar Pradesh task force from Himachal Pradesh's Dalhousie in connection with his alleged role in the Thakur-Dalit clash in Saharanpur.