HC declines to extend Ilyasi’s interim bail

The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to extend a four-week interim bail granted to former TV anchor and producer Suhaib Ilyasi, serving life term for killing his wife 18 years ago, to take care of his ailing second wife.

A Bench of Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice I.S. Mehta declined to grant the relief, which was orally sought by Ilyasi’s lawyers after the court adjourned the hearing of his appeal against his conviction and sentence, to July 4.

The High Court also frowned upon the conduct of the victim’s mother for writing to the Bench, asking one of the judges to recuse from the matter.

The Bench observed that the content of the letter was in contempt of court, but decided not to take any action for now after the woman’s lawyer assured that he would advise his client to withdraw the communication.

The woman’s lawyer said the letter was written as she was anguished that Ilyasi had been granted bail for four weeks and his sentence suspended during this period.

Ilyasi was granted bail on April 26.

He had shot into limelight for hosting the TV crime show India’s Most Wanted.

His deceased wife Anju was rushed to a hospital on January 11, 2000 with stab wounds she received at her east Delhi residence. She was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

Ilyasi was arrested on March 28, 2000.

Charges were framed against him in the case after his sister-in-law and mother-in-law alleged that he used to torture his wife for dowry.

The trial court had on December 20, 2017, sentenced him to life term for stabbing his wife Anju to death, saying he “committed murder and gave it a colour of suicide”.

The former TV anchor was taken into custody on December 16 last year after his conviction.

Fine imposed

It had also imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh on him and directed that ₹10 lakh be paid as compensation to the deceased’s parents.