SC stays Karnataka HC order granting bail to 21 people accused of violence during anti-CAA protests

The Supreme Court Friday stayed the Karnataka High Court order granting bail to 21 PFI members accused of indulging in violence at Mangaluru on December 19 during anti-CAA protests.

The High Court had, on February 17, granted bail to the accused on the pleas filed by Mohammed Ashik and 20 others hailing from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant issued notice to the accused after taking note of the appeal filed by Karnataka government against the grant of bail by the high court.

"Issue notice. In the meantime, there shall be an ad-interim stay of operation of the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court if the respondents-accused are still in custody," the bench ordered.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, assailed the high court order saying that as many as 56 policemen got injured during the violent protests.

"The rioters attacked the police station and set that ablaze," the law officer said, adding that two persons died during that violent protests.

The High Court, while granting bail, had said that the records produced indicate that the "identity of the accused involved in the alleged incident appear to have been fixed on the basis of their affiliation to Popular Front of India (PFI) and they being members of the Muslim community".

Two persons received bullet injuries in police firing and they later succumbed at a hospital on December 19 last year as protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act turned violent in Mangaluru.

Police had lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge and fired in the air to disperse anti-CAA protesters in Mangaluru, as thousands of demonstrators had hit the streets in many cities and towns across Karnataka on December 19 last year defying prohibitory orders.