Supreme Court grants bail to Hindu Samaj Party leader Kamlesh Tiwari murder case 'conspirator'

New Delhi, July 25

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The Supreme Court has granted bail to Syed Asim Ali — accused of being a conspirator behind the murder of Hindu Samaj Party leader Kamlesh Tiwari in 2019 in Lucknow.

Tiwari was stabbed and shot dead in Lucknow in October 2019 for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad.

The Uttar Pradesh Police alleged that two main accused Md Mufti Naeem Kazmi and Imam Maulana Anwarul Haq allegedly issued an order in 2016 promising to give Rs 51 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore, respectively to anyone who would eliminate Tiwari.

“The appellant (Ali) has undergone incarceration for a period of more than 4½ years. 16 out of 25 prosecution witnesses have been examined so far. All eye witnesses have been examined. 8 out of 13 accused have been already enlarged on bail,” a Bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih said in its July 22 order granting him bail.

“One of the allegations against the appellant is that he was always in touch with the accused who actually participated in the incident. Another allegation is that his job was to provide legal aid to the accused. There are no other antecedents in the sense that based on the present case, U.P. Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 Act has been invoked against him,” it said, adding, “a case is made out for enlarging the appellant on bail.”

Top court directed that the appellant shall be produced within a week before the trial court which shall enlarge him on bail on appropriate terms and conditions, including the condition of regularly attending the trial and cooperating with the trial court for an early disposal of the case.