Nagpur, Apr 21 (PTI) A sessions court on Monday granted bail to Mohammad Hamid Mohammad Hanif, president of Minorities Democratic Party, who has been arrested for allegedly inciting violence here last month.

Large-scale stone pelting and arson were reported in several parts of Nagpur on March 17 after rumours began circulating about a ‘chadar’ with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad seeking the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Hanif was arrested on March 19 by the Nagpur cyber police for allegedly perpetrating the riots and for sharing and uploading instigating messages on social media.

Additional sessions judge M B Oza, in his order, said Mohammad Hamid Mohammad Hanif was arrested on March 19 and has been in jail since then.

“Bail is the rule and jail is the exception. The accused has been in custody for sufficient time and the investigation is over,” the court said.

It added that Hanif is a senior citizen and a permanent resident of Nagpur.

“If accused remains in jail for a long time and is not released on bail, he and his family will suffer in life which is not good for their future,” the court said.

It added that trial in the case will also not complete soon and hence no purpose would be served by keeping the accused in jail.

“The prosecution will not suffer if the accused is released on bail with stringent conditions,” the court said while granting him bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000.

Hanif in his plea, filed through advocate Ashwin Ingole, said he was innocent and was implicated in the case as he was the one who had lodged a complaint against nine persons of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal for shouting slogans at Aurangzeb’s tomb.

Hanif claimed the violence was not instigated by the post shared by him but because of the sloganeering of the Hindu Vishwa Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists.

He sought bail claiming the investigation in the case is nearly complete and that his custody was no longer required.

The police opposed the plea claiming the offence was serious and there was concrete evidence against Hanif.

Police told court Hanif may tamper with evidence and abscond if he is released on bail. PTI CLS SP BNM