Delhi court grants bail to Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Gujjar

According to the police, the 25-year-old had opened fire during an anti- CAA protests in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh and had raised communal slogans.

IANS photo

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday (March 7) granted bail to Shaheen Bagh gunman Kapil Gujjar, a 25-year-old Delhi youth, who opened fire during an anti-Citizen Amendment Act protest in the national capital in February. 

Kapil, who belongs to east Delhi's Dallu Pura area, had on February 1 fired three bullets in the air after warning anti-CAA protesters to disperse. He also shouted communal slogans. After his arrest, he was sent to police custody thrice and was produced before Delhi's Saket court on Saturday at the end of his remand period.

During the last proceedings, the court had directed the police to escort Kapil to Bihar to find the person who allegedly supplied him the firearm used in the crime.

Earlier on February 5,  Special Commissioner (Intelligence) Praveer Ranjan had told ANI that during the interrogation the accused admitted that he and his father were affiliated to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and had acquired the membership in May 2019.

Reacting to the statement, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal had asked the police to take strict action against anyone who disturbs law and order in the city, while adding that "if Gujjar was from the party, he should be punished double."

On the other hand, AAP's senior leader and party's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh termed the claims as BJP`s 'dirty politics'. "With just days left before the elections, BJP will try all its dirty politics. Just wait and watch how many more such photos or videos will come out. This is just to divert people`s attention," Singh said.

Gujjar had fired three bullets in the air after warning protesters at Shaheen Bagh to vacate the spot. According to the police, the accused was annoyed over the protest at Shaheen Bagh and the ensuing road blockade for nearly 50 days then. The firing incident came just two days after a youth from Uttar Pradesh's Jewar opened fire at anti-CAA protesters near Jamia Millia Islamia. 

Interestingly, the two incidents happened after Union Minister Anurag Thakur raised 'shoot the traitor' slogans during a public rally in Delhi, said an IANS report.