India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 13—Dr. Kafeel Khan continues to be in prison even after the chief judicial magistrate court in Aligarh granted him bail on February 10.
Speaking to India Tomorrow over phone from Gorakhpur, Dr Khan’s elder brother Aqil Ahmed Khan said, “Dr. Kafeel was granted bail on February 10 in a case pertaining to a speech made in Aligarh in December last. But the jail authorities of Mathura, where Dr. Khan is imprisoned, are not releasing him”.
Dr. Khan’s wife-Sabista Khan-has tweeted that 72 hours have passed since the court granted bail but Dr Khan has not been released.
Khan’s brother said that jail authorities are not giving any reason for not releasing him.
He also alleged that Dr. Khan was tortured in Mathura jail. He said that only five persons were allowed to meet him, including Aqil Ahmed himself, Dr. Khan’s wife Sabista Khan, his driver Suraj and helper Manish.
A case under Section 153-A IPC pertaining to promoting enmity between different groups was booked in Civil Lines Police Station of Aligarh after he addressed CAA protesters at the gate of Aligarh Muslim University on December 12, 2019. Other IPC sections including 153-B, 109 and 505 (2), all pertaining to making statements that create or promote enmity, hatred or ill will between different classes of society, were added to the FIR later on.
According to police, Dr. Khan had made inflammatory statements and objectionable comments against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his speech.
Dr. Khan was arrested from Mumbai on December 29 and brought to Aligarh on a transit remand. Since then, he is jailed. Dr. Khan had gone to Mumbai to participate in an anti-CAA protest there.
Dr. Khan was suspended from his job in the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur in 2017 after the death of 60 children in a week. He was, however, cleared of all charges against him. He has now demanded his reinstatement with all benefits.
