A Delhi Court has recently granted interim bail of two weeks to a Muslim businessman, Mohammed Saleem Khan who has been languishing in jail under draconian UAPA, accused in connection with the northeast Delhi violence in 2020.
He was granted bail for helping his daughter and providing her financial support in opening a dental clinic, Live Law legal news website reported.
Khan’s daughter is a doctor or required funds for setting-up her Dental Clinic, the court observed.
“…this Court is inclined to take a more humanitarian approach towards the applicant/accused Mohd. Saleem Khan and the need for interim bail on the grounds so advocated. Hence, this Court deems it fit to grant interim bail to the accused Mohd. Saleem Khan for a period of two weeks….,” said Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat.
“What is argued is that any authorized person can sell the stock of the proprietorship firm of the accused to generate funds. However, at this stage, when the daughter of the accused is about to set-up a clinic and requires the presence of her father as also the financial assistance that can be best managed by him, the need/ground does not appear to be superfluous. Accused has been in custody for more than around three and half years. The conduct report from the jail says that his conduct has been satisfactory,” the court said.
The order was passed on 18 November.
The judge directed Khan to daily video call the Investigating Officer of the case during the period of his interim bail, Live Law reported.
The court also restrained him from talking or giving any interview to any media, including the social media, during the said period.
Saleem Khan was arrested by Delhi Police on 11 March, 2020. The family had no information about his whereabouts in the initial three months. He was initially booked for rioting but later re-arrested in FIR 59 which had charges of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
In August and September 2022, Saleem Khan was granted custodial parole due to the death of his brother.
Khan has three children – Saima, Sahil, Adeeba – and his wife Shaveena.
Saima finished her Bachelors in Dental Surgery. Sahil completed his BBA (Bachelors in Business Administration) and is now managing his father’s export business, and Adeeba is currently in standard 12th.
Besides Khan, several human rights activists and Muslim students were booked in FIR 59 of 2020 which is being probed by Delhi Police’s Special Cell. The case has been registered under various offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The accused in the case are Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal.
