The Allahabad high court has rejected the bail plea of Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan, the alleged mastermind of the Bareilly violence in September 2025.
Rejecting the bail application, Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal observed, “Communal harmony forms the bedrock of a democratic nation such as India. Permitting individuals like the applicant to incite divisions on religious grounds for political gain threatens to unravel the social fabric of the country and poses a serious risk to national integrity.”
“…Considering the applicant’s extensive criminal history in similar cases, there is a significant risk that, if released, he may once again incite a particular community and disturb peace and harmony. Therefore, this court is not inclined to grant bail to the applicant. Accordingly, the bail application is rejected,” the court said in its June 5 order.
An FIR was lodged under various sections of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita at Bradari police station of Bareilly in connection with the case. Raza had moved the Allahabad high court seeking bail after the lower court rejected his bail application.
Sitaram Yadav, the counsel for the accused, contended that the applicant was not named in the FIR and has been implicated despite there being no substantive material indicating that he persuaded or provoked the crowd to assemble at Islamia Inter College or to commit arson or destroy public property.
Maulana Tauqeer Raza has been languishing in jail since October 13, 2025. As per the police case, on September 26 last year, Raza gave a call for members of a particular community to assemble at Islamiya Inter College in Bareilly.
Despite prohibitory orders being in force, a crowd of about 500 people gathered and proceeded from Maulana Azad Inter College towards Shyamganj Chauraha. The crowd, holding boards and raising provocative slogans, paid little heed to the warnings and persuasions made by the police personnel at the spot.
The situation escalated when the crowd became aggressive. Thereafter, stones and acid bottles were allegedly thrown at the police force and gunshots were also fired from the crowd at the police personnel.
As per the FIR, in the ensuing violence, the clothes of police personnel were torn and two officers sustained injuries. Aggressive action of the crowd created an atmosphere of terror, forcing the police authorities to open fire in self-defence.
