Allahabad High Court denies bail to man accused of killing woman who refused to convert to Islam after marriage

The Allahabad High Court earlier this week denied bail to a man accused of killing a Hindu woman by beheading after she refused to convert to Islam upon marriage to one Ajaj Ahmed, the co-accused in the case [Shoeb Akhtar v. State of Uttar Pradesh]..Considering the gravity of the offence and the role assigned to applicant-Shoeb and the stage of trial, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh did not find any good reason to release the accused on bail..As per the prosecution case, the accused Shoeb Akhtar had beheaded one Priya after the latter was not inclined to accept Islam following her marriage with co-accused Ajaj.Since Ajaj did not want to bring the victim to his home without her converting to Islam, he kept her at a rented house. Thereafter, as per the prosecution, on her persistent refusal to convert, both Shoeb and Ajaj murdered her. On September 21, 2020, her beheaded body was found lying in a drain.Both Shoeb and Ajaj were charged under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (fabrication of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code.On January 24, 2023, the first bail application of Shoeb was rejected. Ajaj was later granted bail prompting Shoeb to move for bail a second time..Additional Government Advocate, appearing for State, opposed the plea. He highlighted the gravity and heinous nature of the crime and also said that Ajaj had obtained bail by concealing the order of January 24, 2023 by which Shoeb's first bail plea was rejected.Further, he also pointed out that a wrong statement was attributed to the State in the order granting bail to Ajaj. The Court in that order had said that 'it is admitted fact that applicant is in jail since last eight and a half years'..The Court found substance in the argument made by the State that while passing the order in October 2023 granting bail to Ajaj, the Court did not take into account the order of rejection of first bail plea filed by Shoeb.Therefore, considering the gravity of the crime, the Court deemed it appropriate to reject the second bail application preferred by Shoeb."I also find substance in the submission of learned Additional Government Advocate that while passing the order dated 05.10.2023 of co-accused as noted above, the order dated 24.01.2023 has not been taken into consideration and wrong period of detention of the accused- Ajaj Ahmad @ Asif has been mentioned as noted above. Considering the gravity of offence, role assigned to the accused-applicant and the stage of trial, I do not find any good ground to release the applicant on bail. Accordingly, the bail application is rejected," the Court said..Advocate Saurabh Pandey appeared for Shoeb..[Read Order]