Held for Anti-CAA Protests, Ex-IPS Officer Darapuri, Activist Sadaf Jafar Released from Lucknow Prison

Lucknow: Retired IPS officer SR Darapuri, Congress worker Sadaf Jafar and several others were released on Tuesday morning from Lucknow, after Court granted them bail for their alleged role in violence during protest against the amended Citizenship law.

Lucknow Sessions Court granted bail to Darapuri and Sadaf Jafar after the police arrested them on 19th and 20th December from Lucknow. However, the police had reportedly failed to produce any evidence of their involvement in the violence.

After getting released, SR Darapuri said, “It is a matter of shame how brutally people were detained and beaten up at Hazratganj and Hussainganj police station in Lucknow. Even the women were beaten up in presence of SSP. He should be ashamed of himself.”

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a tweet said "Ambedkarite thinker and former IPS SR Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar have been released from jail today. The UP Police could not produce evidence against them when asked by the court. By arresting innocent people and also those who are taking forward the principles laid down by Baba Saheb (Ambedkar), the BJP has shown its true face, however lie can never win."

Additional Sessions Judge SS Pandey asked the two to furnish security of Rs 50,000 each and personal bonds of an equal amount. The court observed that the Uttar Pradesh Police failed to present any direct evidence against Jafar, Darapuri and others for their role in vandalism and arson during the protests.

Jafar was arrested while she was participating in a protest against the amended citizenship law, which later turned violent. Police said she was arrested for her involvement in clashes.

Harjot Singh, Jafar's lawyer said that the court had granted bail on Saturday. “The FIR registered was generic and more than 40 people were implicated in serious sections like 307 (attempted murder). Subsequently, the police failed to prove any charges,” Singh added.

The judge had reserved his orders on the bail applications of Jafar, Darapuri and the other accused on Friday, after hearing the individual pleas as well as the submissions of the government lawyer.

According to the government prosecutor Deepak Yadav, Hazratganj Police had arrested them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Section 7 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1932 and sent them to judicial custody.

Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Thursday had asked the UP government to file its reply within two weeks on a petition seeking quashing of the FIR filed against Jafar. A bench of Justices Shabihul Hasnain and Virendra Kumar II passed the order on a writ petition moved on Jafar's behalf.

The petitioners have also demanded that the investigation be conducted by an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police and under the court's supervision. The court has posted the matter after two weeks for the next hearing.