Mumbai: The special NIA court has refused to grant bail to maulvi Mushifique Ahmad booked in connection with the murder of a pharmacist Umesh Kolhe in Amravati. While rejecting the bail plea the court said that there is ample evidence against the maulvi as being a key conspirator.
Kolhe, who ran a medical store in Amravati, was on his way home on his scooter on the night of June 21, 2022, when he was accosted by three men on a bike and hacked to death.
Falsely implicated in the crime: Accused
Ahmad in his bail plea had claimed that he was falsely implicated in the crime and he had no concern with the alleged conspiracy. "The applicant had not been engaged in preparatory work or conspiracy of the alleged crime. The applicant being the religious and social activist was in personal contact with the umpteen individuals of the locality," Ahmad claimed, denying his role in the crime and connections with the other accused.
The plea was opposed by the prosecution and said he wanted to avenge the message circulated by the deceased. The applicant is the main conspirator and had supervised the events of crime and had taken information about the murder of the deceased from co-accused. Besides, he is said to have given ₹10000 to the accused involved in the murder to evade arrest.
The court however rejected his claim and observed that, “There is ample material against the applicant regarding his involvement in the alleged conspiracy of commission of crime.”
Accused participated in conspiracy, aided co-accused: Court
"Considering the totality of material, there is a role of the applicant in the crime. There are specific allegations and material to show that the applicant had participated in the conspiracy of crime and aided the co accused persons. In view of specific allegations against applicant and material on record, it cannot be said that the accusations against applicant are inherently improbable or wholly unbelievable," the court said.