Nupur Sharma blasphemy row: SC declines to cancel bail of co-accused in Udaipur tailor's murder case

The Supreme Court on 2 September, Tuesday, rejected appeals by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the son of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, seeking to overturn bail granted to one of the accused in the 2022 murder case.

A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma refused to interfere with an earlier decision by the Rajasthan High Court, which had granted bail to Mohammed Javed, one of several individuals linked to the killing.

The top court was hearing appeals filed by the NIA and Yash Teli, son of Lal, against an order passed by the Rajasthan High Court granting bail to Javed.

Appearing for Teli, counsel argued that Javed played a critical role in the conspiracy, alleging he had tipped off the main assailants about Lal’s location and movements.

The petition stated: “The murder was committed in a communally surcharged atmosphere across the country.” It further alleged: “The prime accused had gathered themselves, prepared to commit the murder, collected weapons, did recce and planted Javed to inform about whereabouts of the deceased.”

It described the sequence of the murder, claiming: “On the fateful date, they entered into the tailor's shop disguising as customers and while the deceased was taking their size, the accused planted a camera, shouted communal slogans, attacked and murdered the deceased.”

The NIA supported the petition, stating that Javed worked in a neighbouring shop and provided information about Lal's whereabouts on the day of the crime.

Despite these submissions, the top court chose not to intervene in the bail granted by the high court.

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The case relates to the brutal killing of Kanhaiya Lal on 28 June 2022 in Udaipur’s busy Hathipole area. Lal was allegedly targeted for supporting a controversial social media post seen as offensive to Islam.

These posts were being widely circulated across social media platforms in the aftermath of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma creating a controversy by using allegedly blasphemous language to address Prophet Mohammad, the founder of Islam.

The two main accused, Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Gause, entered Lal’s shop posing as customers, recorded the act on video, and posted it online. Both men used cleavers to carry out the murder.

The investigation into the incident is being conducted by the NIA, which has termed it a planned and communal act of terror.

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