Karnataka court grants bail to Srikanth Pujari in 1992 Hubli riots case

A Karnataka court on Friday granted bail to Srikanth Pujari, an accused in the communal riots case that occurred in Hubli after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya back in 1992..While granting bail to Pujari, Additional District and Sessions Judge Parameshwara Prasanna B noted that there were no valid, good and compelling grounds to reject bail at this stage to the petitioner.Srikanth was arrested by the police of Hubli city police and the court had remanded him to judicial custody on December 29..The complainant, a person belonging to Muslim community, alleged that on the night of December 6, 1992, the accused individuals including Pujari, identified as Hindu activists, allegedly formed an unlawful assembly and set fire to shops in MG market which resulted in a wrongful loss of ₹1,85,000 to the complainant..Pujari and other co-accused were charged under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).It was further alleged that Pujari has a total of 13 criminal cases registered against him in various police stations in Hubli. Additionally, there are three more cases pertaining to Section 107 (security for keeping the peace in other cases) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code..However, the counsel for petitioner argued that he is innocent and has not committed the alleged offences.There is no evidence on record linking the petitioner to the crime, it was contended. It was also highlighted that the accused has been in judicial custody since December 29, 2023 and is not needed for any further investigation or interrogation..Taking into account the facts of the present case, the Court granted bail to Pujari on execution of personal bond for ₹1,00,000."Considering the factual aspects of this case, without expressing any opinion with regard to merits and demerits of this case, this holds that it is just and proper to grant bail as prayed by the petitioner," the Court noted.