Bombay HC grants bail to four held in Govandi mob attack on cops, directs them to give Rs 5,000 to CM relief fund

MUMBAI: Bombay high court on Friday released on bail four persons accused in an attempt to murder case for attacking a police party on a road march in Govandi on April 26, but directed them to pay Rs 5,000 each to the chief minister’s relief fund.
Justice Bharati Dangre while directing release of Gaus Mohammed Shaikh and three others said while they were entitled to be released on benefit of doubt—as no identification parade was even done—the "alleged act of the policemen being attacked apparently while trying to enforce the corona virus induced lock-down need to be tackled on a serious note."
They should be "made to bear the consequences of assaulting the police team" and interrupting their official duty said the Judge, directing them to deposit Rs 5,000 to the CM fund within six weeks in addition to the Rs 10,000 bail PR Bond.
They were behind bars for over a month and that was "sufficient punishment for them to be responsible citizens"said the HC noting that they were arrested only because they fall in the 22-25 age group and were residents of the locality.
The Shivaji Nagar police said a mob of 25-30 persons attacked the patrolling policemen when asked to remove hawking wares from a footpath. Police alleged that the mob pelted them with "stones and bricks" destroying one police van, and some of them aged 22-25 years assaulted the police with an "iron rod". The accused seeking bail said they were arrested only because of their age.