HC grants anticipatory bail to former Minorities Commission Chairman

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to former Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) chairman Zafarul Islam Khan (72) in a sedition case after the police said that his presence was not required for the investigation anymore.

Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri allowed Khan’s plea seeking protection from arrest and asked him to join the investigation whenever the investigating agency needed him to.

“The petitioner (Khan) is admitted to anticipatory bail on furnishing of a personal bond of ₹50,000 and one surety of the like amount in the event of arrest,” the judge said while dictating the order.

According to the police, on April 28, Khan had published, through his official page on social media, a post that allegedly contained seditious and hateful comments.

On May 2, based on a complaint, the Delhi Police Special Cell lodged an FIR against Khan under Sections 124A and 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for the alleged offences of sedition and promoting feelings of hatred between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language.

On Friday, appearing for Khan, advocates Vrinda Grover, Soutik Banerjee and Ratna Appnender told the court that he has already submitted his laptop and had taken part in the investigation several times.

Advocate MP Singh, counsel for the police, said he has received instructions from the police that Khan is no longer required for further investigation.

Following this, the court granted him anticipatory bail and asked him to cooperate in the investigation and in case of a change in address, inform the investigating officer. The judge also asked him not to leave the city without prior intimation to the police.

The court had earlier granted him interim relief, asking the police not to take any coercive measure against him till July 31.

Khan sought anticipatory bail on the grounds that he is a public servant and a senior citizen aged 72 years, who suffers from heart disease and hypertension and is highly susceptible to Covid-19, which can have fatal consequences for a person of his age.

The plea has sought directions to the police that in the event of his arrest, he be immediately released on bail and that no coercive measures be taken against him. It also sought directions that Khan’s laptop and mobile should not be seized.

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