Kapil Baisala, Shaheen Bagh Shooter, Gets Bail
NEW DELHI : A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Kapil Baisala, who opened fire in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh area during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The court granted bail to him on a security bond of Rs 25,000.
“On considering the totality of facts and circumstances, the accused Kapil Baisala is admitted to bail on furnishing bail bond in a sum of Rs 25,000 with one surety in the like amount,” Additional Sessions Judge Gulshan Kumar said.
Kapil Baisala’s lawyer told the court that his client has “deep roots” in society and there was no possibility of his absconding from the law. The application added that Kapil Baisala has a clean record and was never been involved in any other case in past.
“It is further submitted that the applicant has the responsibility of his wife and minor child. It is further submitted that no purpose will be served by keeping the accused in judicial custody,” the application said.
The police opposed the bail application, stating that the allegations against Kapil Baisala were very serious and the case was at an initial stage. The police’s claims that he had links with Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were later refuted by his family.
On February 1, Baisala fired two rounds in the air at Shaheen Bagh, where an anti-CAA protest is under way, police said. After being overpowered by police personnel, Baisala chanted “Jai Shri Ram” and said, “Hamare desh me aur kisi ki nahi chalegi, sirf Hinduon ki chalegi (only Hindus shall have a say in our country, no one else),” as he was taken into custody by Delhi Police.
After being overpowered by police personnel, Kapil Baisala shouted “Jai Shri Ram” and said, “Hamare desh me aur kisi ki nahi chalegi, sirf Hinduon ki chalegi (only Hindus will rule in our country, no one else),” as he was taken into custody by Delhi Police.
This incident had chilling similarities to one that took place just 2 km away at Jamia Millia Islamia university days ago, when a 17-year-old Class 12 boy from Uttar Pradesh fired a crude pistol at unarmed protesters with dozens of policemen behind him, watching.
The shootings took place in quick succession after controversial slogans of “Goli Maaro Sa***n Ko (shoot the traitors)” were chanted at a Delhi election campaign rally of Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister of State for Finance. Mr Thakur was banned from campaigning in Delhi for three days for egging on BJP workers to shout the “Goli Maaro” slogan.
