The High Court of Karnataka has declined to grant bail to Mohammed Shariff, president of Bengaluru district unit of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), who has been arraigned as an accused in the case related violence and attack on police stations in DJ Halli-KG Halli localities of the city on August 11, 2020.
A Division Bench comprising Justice B. Veerappa and Justice S. Rachaiah passed the order while upholding the August 27, 2021 order, passed by the special court for the National Investigation Agency’s (NAI) cases in rejecting Shariff’s plea for release on bail.
The High Court observed that “the chargesheet filed against the appellant clearly depicts his active participation in the offence as a member of the terrorist gang and in conspiracy with other accused persons for criminal act in violent acts. Thereby, he was coordinating with movement of other accused persons, including persons belonging to SDPI during the violent acts at KG Halli and DJ Halli police stations.”
“Considering the entire material on record, including chargesheet filed against appellant by the investing officer, this court is of the considered opinion that there is prima facie case against appellant and thereby he is not entitled to the bail in view of sub section (5) of 43D of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967,” the High Court said.
The High Court also pointed out that the acts committed by Shariff along with other accused persons on August 11, 2020, as stated in the chargesheet “depicts the conspiracy to commit the aforesaid acts of violence and destruction of public properties and to create fear psychosis in the mind of law abiding citizens.”
