Bail for rtd Delhi cop in weapon delivery case

Sunderlal Parashar was arrested for providing a weapon to an accused linked to a pro-Khalistani group

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to retired ACP of Delhi police Sunderlal Parashar who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for allegedly providing a weapon to an accused linked to a pro-Khalistan group.

A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and N J Jamadar granted bail to Parashar after he furnished a bail bond of Rs 50,000. The bench said, “Indisputably, the appellant had been a member of the Delhi police force. It cannot be said that the appellant has no roots in society. In context of the charge against the appellant, it does not appear that the release of the appellant would either hamper further investigations or put a hindrance in the trial.”

However, the HC has directed Parashar to appear before the Mumbai office of the NIA once a month for the next six months and not to contact any co-accused or any other person involved directly or indirectly in the pro-Khalistan movement.

Parashar had approached the HC after the special NIA court refused to grant him bail in July 2019.

According to the NIA, Parashar was associated with people attempting to revive the Sikh militancy for a separate Khalistan. He was arrested on April 24, 2019.

The NIA filed a chargesheet in May 2019, stating that the accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy to commit the act for the formation of a separate “Khalistan state”; thereby threatening the security, integrity and sovereignty of India and make attempts to revive the Sikh militancy.

Parashar’s advocate Mubin Solkar argued that the NIA had failed to show Parashar’s involvement in the alleged conspiracy.