Yet Another Convict Released in Jharkhand’s Alimuddin Lynching Case

In a shocking move, on Tuesday, July 10, the Jharkhand High Court granted bail to another convict serving life imprisonment in the Hazaribag central jail for lynching a 45-years-old Muslim trader.

A division bench of Justices, H. C. Mishra and B. B. Mangalmurti granted bail to Chhotu Verma, one of the 11 convicted by a fast track court in Ramgarh, to get relief from High Court in the lynching case.

On June 29, eight convicts were granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court, while another had walked out of the Hazaribagh central jail after the court granted him relief on June 8. All the accused were convicted for their offence under sections 147, 148, 427 / 149, 435 / 149, and 302 / 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Also Read: Lynching And BJP: Hand In Hand

Speaking to NewsClick, Shadab Ansari, who was assisting the prosecution in the case said, "There was solid evidence against Chhotu Verma and he had confessed his crime. The weapon of assault was also recovered from his home. Apart from section 302, Verma was also convicted under 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, which apparently means that the attack was pre-planned and yet he has been granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court.”

“Five eyewitnesses named Chhotu Verma and said that he had assaulted Alimuddin. The fibre stick used in the assault was also recovered from his house on the basis of his confessional statement,” Ansari told Newsclick.

Also Read: Alimuddin Lynching Case: Bail Granted to the Accused

“Recovery of article used in committing the crime on the basis of confessional statement is considered a very strong piece of evidence. Apart from these evidences, many incriminating evidences like call record, videos, and photographs were found against Chhotu Verma. The bench headed by Justice H.C. Mishra ignored all the evidences and granted him bail,” said the victim family’s counsel.

Shadab said that they have solid evidence against four of the convicts who have been granted bail and that he will challenge the High Court orders in the Supreme Court soon.

Union Minister Jayant Sinha, who is also an MP from Hazaribagh and son of BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, received the flak when he held an event at his residence where he felicitated and welcomed with garlands, eight men convicted in the Alimuddin lynching case in Jharkhand, Ramgarh, after they were released on bail on July 5.

Also Read: Jharkhand Lynching: Lawyer Explains How Alimuddin Ansari Got Justice