Kanhaiyalal Murder: Supreme Court Refuses To Cancel Accused Mohd. Javed's Bail
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to cancel the bail granted to Mohammed Javed, an accused in the brutal killing of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal in 2022, dismissing appeals filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the victim’s son, Yash Teli.
The Bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma upheld the Rajasthan High Court’s order, which had earlier extended bail to Javed, and declined to interfere.
The Appeals had urged the Apex Court to set aside the High Court’s decision on the ground that Javed played a vital role in facilitating the murder.
Counsel appearing for Teli argued that Javed’s involvement was serious, as he had allegedly provided information about Lal’s presence and movements to the assailants, enabling the conspiracy to culminate in the killing. It was further submitted that the High Court erred in granting bail without properly appreciating the gravity of the allegations, especially given the communal tension that followed the incident nationwide.
The petitions stressed that the murder was neither spontaneous nor isolated, but part of a premeditated conspiracy.
According to the prosecution, the prime accused; Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Gause; had conducted reconnaissance, procured weapons, and positioned Javed to act as an informer about the victim’s whereabouts.
On the day of the incident, June 28, 2022, the assailants entered Lal’s tailoring shop in Udaipur’s crowded Hathipole area under the guise of customers. While the victim was measuring them for clothing, they planted a hidden camera, raised communal slogans, and then attacked him with cleavers, killing him on the spot.
The pleas pointed out that the attackers not only carried out the murder but also recorded the act and later uploaded the video online, triggering shock and outrage across the country. The incident took place in the backdrop of communal tension over a social media post that the victim had allegedly supported.
The NIA, which is probing the case, contended that Javed was an integral part of the conspiracy. It alleged that he worked in a shop adjacent to Lal’s establishment and had informed the prime accused about Lal’s location at the crucial moment, thereby directly enabling the attack. On these grounds, both the agency and the victim’s family sought cancellation of his bail.
However, the Supreme Court was not persuaded to interfere with the High Court’s findings.
By dismissing the appeals, the Court has effectively allowed Javed to remain on bail pending trial, while the main prosecution continues against the prime accused, Riyaz and Gause, who remain in custody.
In a related news, accused Mohd. Javed had recently opposed the release of the film Udaipur files, which is based on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case.