The Rajasthan High Court has granted bail to Mohammed Javed, an accused in the brutal beheading of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor from Udaipur. Kanhaiya Lal was killed on June 29, 2022, by two radical Islamists for posting a social media message in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The court granted bail to Javed on a bond of Rs 2 lakh, with an additional surety of Rs 1 lakh.
A division bench consisting of Justice Pankaj Bhandari and Justice Praveen Bhatnagar approved Javed’s bail, despite the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arresting him on July 22, 2022. Javed allegedly played a key role in the conspiracy by informing one of the killers, Riyaz Attari, about Kanhaiya Lal’s presence at his tailoring shop before the attack.
Rajasthan | Kanhaiya Lal murder case: The division bench of the High Court grants bail to accused Mohammad Javed on a bail bond of Rs 2 lakh and surety of Rs 1 lakh each. Mohammad Javed is accused of doing recce in this case.
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024
Kanhaiya Lal’s murder shocked the nation. On June 29, 2022, two men, Riyaz Attari and Ghous Mohammed, disguised as customers, entered his shop. While Lal was busy taking measurements, they attacked him with a long knife, stabbing him 26 times. The post-mortem report revealed severe injuries from his neck to his shoulders. The murder was reportedly retaliation for a social media post in which Lal had supported Nupur Sharma, who had made controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammed.
The incident had unfolded when Lal’s 8-year-old son shared the social media post in support of Sharma. Following the post, Kanhaiya Lal was arrested by Dhanmandi police but continued receiving death threats after his release. Fearing for his life, he sought police protection but was allegedly ignored by local authorities, leaving him vulnerable to the fatal attack.
Javed’s role in the case was considered crucial by the NIA, but his bail has sparked controversy, raising questions about justice in the high-profile case. The Kanhaiya Lal murder case continues to be a sensitive and highly charged issue, reflecting ongoing tensions related to communal violence in India.
