Delhi HC Rejects Faizal Farooq’s Bail Petition in Connection With Communal Violence

The Delhi High Court has on Tuesday rejected the bail petition of a private school owner, Faisal Farooq, in connection with the communal violence that occurred during anti-CAA protests in north-east Delhi in February this year.

The police investigations revealed that Faisal, who is a very influential person across the locality, owned the building of Rajdhani Public School in close vicinity. “He had allowed the rioters to enter his school and the said mob created havoc from the terrace of Rajdhani Public School”, the investigation report revealed. Opposing the bail petition, Additional Solicitor General, Aman Lekhi, stressed, “This case is a case of rioting, attempt to murder, dacoity, causing enmity against the state. These are considered as a grievous offence, cutting the very root of secular fabric of our country”. He submitted that Faisal was found as the kingpin and mastermind of the said incident and he had deliberately facilitated the entry of the rioters from the main gate of his school. He reiterated that the damage was caused in a very systematic manner to the extent that rioters climbed down from the terrace of Rajdhani Public school to the DRP school with the help of ropes, which were also prearranged.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait said, “It seems that the riots were carried out in such an organized manner that a large size iron catapult was manufactured and installed at rooftop of the school of respondent for pelting stones and petrol bombs downwards, this sort of instrument can never be made in a spur of moment”. Justice Kait observed, “Keeping in view the fact that respondent/accused is wealthy and he has reputation and roots in the society, therefore, since investigation in the present FIR is pending and the prosecution is likely to file supplementary charge-sheet, therefore, the respondent/ accused may influence the witnesses and hamper the investigation and trial”.