4 days ago
Bombay High Court Grants Bail to Alleged PFI Member
The Bombay High Court released Mohammed Iqbal Ibrahim Khan on bail.
He had been in custody since September 2022.
Prosecutors said he was a member of the banned Popular Front of India.
They also showed the court videos about making petrol bombs found on his phone.
The court said simply having those videos did not prove that Khan shared them or encouraged anyone to use them.
Judges also said the witness statements did not clearly connect him to the alleged crimes.
The trial had started slowly, with no witnesses examined after charges were framed.
Because the trial may take a long time, the court decided he should be released on bail.
The Bombay High Court granted bail to Mohammed Iqbal Ibrahim Khan, arrested in September 2022.
The court said possessing a petrol-bomb-making video alone did not constitute an offence.
Judges found police witness statements largely innocuous and insufficient to link Khan to the alleged offences.
The prosecution alleged Khan was an active PFI member involved in a conspiracy against the Government of India.
Charges were framed in March, but no witnesses had testified; prosecutors plan to call at least 90 witnesses.
- Who
- The Bombay High Court and Mohammed Iqbal Ibrahim Khan; the prosecution alleges Khan was a PFI member.
- What
- The court granted Khan bail after finding the evidence insufficient at this stage.
- Where
- The case concerns alleged meetings in Mumbai, and the bail decision was issued by the Bombay High Court.
- When
- Khan was arrested in September 2022; charges were framed in March 2026, and the bail order was passed in the week before August 28, 2026.
- Why
- The court cited prolonged custody, a slow trial, insufficient linkage to the alleged offences, and the likelihood that the trial would not conclude soon.
Court’s Assessment
Prosecution’s Case
Meaning of the videos
Court’s Assessment
The court said possessing videos showing how to make petrol bombs did not itself establish an offence, noting there was no evidence Khan forwarded them or encouraged anyone to use the technique.
Prosecution’s Case
The prosecution relied on the videos recovered from Khan’s mobile phones as part of its case.
Connection to alleged crimes
Court’s Assessment
The court described police witness statements as innocuous and said they indicated, at most, that Khan was a PFI member without linking him to the charged offences.
Prosecution’s Case
The prosecution alleged Khan was an active PFI member who, with others, conspired to revolt against the Government of India and attended meetings in Mumbai.
Length of custody and trial
Court’s Assessment
The court held that prolonged custody and the slow pace of proceedings justified bail, especially because the trial was unlikely to end within a reasonable time.
Prosecution’s Case
The prosecution intends to examine at least 90 witnesses, indicating that the case remains pending and extensive proceedings are expected.
Key facts
- Accused
- Mohammed Iqbal Ibrahim Khan
- Arrest
- September 2022
- Court
- Bombay High Court
- Charges
- Framed in March 2026
- Proposed witnesses
- At least 90
- Evidence cited
- Videos showing how to make petrol bombs
- Laws invoked
- Various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
Quotes
Bombay High Court bench
The bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and RR Bhonsale hearing Khan’s bail case
“The prosecution intends to examine at least 90 witnesses. Thus, it is quite clear that the trial is not likely to get over within a reasonable time in future.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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