NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has rejected the bail plea of former Tihar jail Deputy Superintendent Narender Meena, who is accused of being involved in the death of 29-year-old gangster Ankit Gujjar, while being in judicial custody, in 2021.
Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain, while denying Meena’s bail, cited the severity of the charges and the potential for him to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence. The court noted that Gujjar had died while being in judicial custody, with his post-mortem report revealing multiple ante-mortem injuries.
The court dismissed claims of trial delays caused by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which had taken over the case in September 2021 following a judicial order.
The trial court had earlier observed that Meena had attempted to intimidate witnesses and that the larger interests of society outweighed the petitioner’s request for liberty.
Ankit Gujjar was found dead in Tihar Jail on August 4, 2021, with allegations that Meena and other jail officials had severely beaten him a day prior and denied him medical attention, leading to his death. The accused officials were also accused of harassing Gujjar to extort money from his family. Four jail officials, including Meena, were suspended following the incident.
Justice Jain further emphasised that witnesses had reported being threatened by Meena and other accused to alter their statements.
In light of this, the court ruled that there was no basis for granting bail. However, the court clarified that the order should not be viewed as an opinion on the merits of the case itself.