A Delhi court has granted bail to the Bulli Bai case accused and the alleged creator of the app, Neeraj Bishnoi, and the accused in the Sulli Deals case, Aumkareshwar Thakur. It has reasoned in separate orders, but similar observations, that they were both young, first-time offenders, and prolonged incarceration would be detrimental to their well-being.
On Thakur, the magistrate court noted that he was languishing in jail since January 9 this year and that the investigation was complete and the charge sheet had already been filed in the case. “The necessity for continued incarceration is not made out in the backdrop of filing of charge sheet,” it stated, adding, “Accused is a first-time offender and a young person as such prolonged incarceration would be detrimental to his overall well-being.” It also said that the trial would take considerable time to conclude and no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping him detained any further.
The prosecution had opposed Thakur’s bail as FSL results were awaited. It had expressed apprehension that he might tamper with evidence. Magistrate Dr Pankaj Sharma of the Patiala House Court said in the order that merely because replies from different intermediate and FSL results are pending were not sufficient reasons to deny bail, as the accused was not in a position to influence the result of replies.
Thakur had sought bail stating that he was 25 years old and had no criminal antecedents. He said he had been falsely implicated and was arrested only based on the disclosure of co-accused Neeraj Bishnoi. His plea also said he was an IT professional and took round-the-clock care of his ailing mother, being a doting son.
Bishnoi’s plea for bail stated that he was 20 years old and had been in custody for over 75 days since Jan 6. It said he was pursuing his second year BTech in Bhopal, but had now been suspended. He too had claimed that he was framed. He had also said that the trial would take considerable time and he would suffer unbearable hardship were his custody to continue. The prosecution had opposed his bail, stating that he had he had designed the hate app not only to insult Muslim women, but to also create enmity between communities.
