S. A. Hemanth
Lucknow, March 12: ‘Mukhtar Ansari’s gang is the most dreaded in India. We cannot give bail to the member of Ansari’s gang” said Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh of Allahabad High Court while rejecting the bail application of one Ramu Mallah, member of the Mukhtar Ansari gang on Saturday.
The single-judge bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar was hearing the bail application of Ramu Mallah, accused in a number of heinous cases but was arrested in the Mau murder case.
“Merely by getting acquittal in some cases wherein the witnesses turned hostile, the criminal history of Ramu Mallah does not get evaporated. Such a criminal, if allowed to come out of jail, would certainly be in a position to influence the witnesses making free, fair and truthful deposition of the witnesses impossible,” Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh said.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh directed the state to give proper and fool-proof protection to the witnesses. He said, “For a sound, robust, free and fair criminal justice system, free, frank and fearless disposition of witnesses is of utmost importance. Free and fair trial and preservation of rule of law is not possible if the state does not give protection to the witnesses.”
According to the Allahabad High Court, the accused applicant is a dreaded criminal and member of most dreaded criminal gang of India that is Mukhtar Ansari gang. “The accused applicant is facing several criminal cases of heinous offences. The state has filed a detailed affidavit and has opposed the bail application. I find merit in the state’s argument and hence I reject the bail application of the accused applicant,” the Judge said.
Without mincing words, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh further said, “In India, due to threats to life, property, reputation of witnesses or family members or their harassment by the accused, the witnesses turn hostile and the accused go scot-free. This cannot and should not happen. Giving protection to witnesses is the duty of the state and the state must do its duty diligently.”
EOM
