Delhi HC grants bail to 2 after two years' custody in contract killing case in temple dispute

New Delhi [India], August 12 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has recently granted bail to two accused, including a woman, in an alleged contract killing case linked with a temple dispute in the Naraina area. Police have alleged that the killing was committed at the behest of the woman accused. An FIR was registered at Police Station Naraina in 2023.
It is alleged that the deceased Kamal Thakur had filed numerous complaints at the police station, MCD and High Court for the demolition of the temple made by the accused Renu Devi, and therefore, she had hired Sachin, Rohit and Sumit Kumar through Bharat for killing Kamal Thakur, the High Court noted in the order.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja granted bail to Renu Devi and Sumit after noting that co-accused Saurabh Tyagi has been on bail since January 22, 2025. The applicants herein have been in judicial custody for more than two years.
"Hence, considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, nature and quality of evidence, this Court is of the opinion that accused Renu and Sumit ought to be enlarged on bail," Justice Dudeja said in an order passed on August 5.
While opposing the bail pleas, additional public prosecutor (APP) Yudhvir Singh Chauhan submitted that Renu is the main master mind behind the murder of deceased Kamal Thakur, and for the said purpose, she hired co-accused Sachin, Sumit, Rohit and Bharat alias Mithu and paid them Rs 50,000.
It was also submitted that Renu was present at the spot of the incident, and Kamal Thakur was murdered by co-accused at her instance. An analysis of the CDR of applicant Renu revealed that she was in contact with co-accused Bharat.
APP further submitted that after committing the murder, Renu left Delhi, and thus there is a presumption that she may avoid the proceedings and jump bail and even threaten the prosecution witnesses and tamper with the evidence.
It was further stated that the son of the deceased has already filed complaints regarding threats to his life, and therefore, under these circumstances, applicant Renu is not entitled to the grant of bail.
While opposing the bail plea of Sumit, the APP said that he played a vital role in the commission of the crime. He was riding the scooty on which co-accused Sachin was sitting as a pillion rider, who caused gunshot injuries to the victim.
On the other hand, advocate Pankaj Srivastav, counsel for Renu Devi, submitted that she has nothing to do with the alleged offence. She has been in judicial custody since April 1, 2023, and despite the passage of considerable time, the trial has not progressed significantly as many witnesses still remain to be examined.
He further submitted that the entire case against the applicant rests on the disclosure statement of the co-accused persons, which is inadmissible in evidence. She has been wrongly portrayed as a master mind in the case. (ANI)