SC grants interim bail to former IGP

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail for a week to former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur Haider Zaidi, an accused in a case relating to the custodial death of a man who was among those arrested on charge of gang-raping a minor school girl in Kotkhai in Shimla district last year.

Zaidi had moved the apex court against the Himachal Pradesh High Court order refusing to grant him bail in the case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi allowed the application of Zaidi for interim bail on the grounds that he has to attend the rituals of Chhehalum to be held from November 6 to 8, 2018 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The counsel appearing for Zaidi said his mother had passed away while he was in jail and he seeks to participate in the post-death rituals.

“Taking into account the grounds on which the limited/ interim bail has been prayed for we are of the view that the same should be allowed. We order accordingly. The accused petitioner will be released from Kanda jail, Shimla where he is presently lodged in the morning of November 4, 2018 and will report back to the Jailor/ Superintendent concerned on November 11, 2018 in the course of the day,” the bench said.

The regular bail application of Zaidi is scheduled to come up for hearing on November 13.

The apex court had earlier sought response from the CBI on the appeal of Zaidi against the January 19 order of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.