Farhad Mohammad is one of the accused on trial for the brutal murder of Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiyalal Teli for supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. He was granted bail by the special NIA court on Friday (September 1).
Special court grants bail to Mohammad
On September 1, a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Jaipur granted bail to Farhad Mohammad, also known as Babla. Mohammad had been arrested in connection with the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan’s Udaipur last year. He had been charged under the Arms Act.
Farhad Mohammad’s defence counsel, Akhil Chaudhary, asserted that Farhad was not implicated in Kanhaiya Lal’s murder and that the sword found in his possession was not a lethal weapon. Chaudhary explained that Farhad and his family were artisans engaged in meenakari, a decorative metal and ceramic tile painting work. According to the defence, they crafted and sold their products in local markets, and Farhad Mohammad had not been charged with the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) or any criminal conspiracy.
It’s worth noting that Farhad Mohammad was apprehended after a sword was discovered in his possession last year. According to Advocate Chaudhary, Mohammad had purchased the sword at a khadi mela (a fair featuring handcrafted goods) a long time ago. Additionally, he cited a forensic report which confirmed that the sword was not sharp.
The Special Public Prosecutor of the NIA, TP Sharma, opposed the bail request, citing the discovery of the sword and arguing that Mohammad had participated in a protest against the then BJP spokesperson, Nupur Sharma, where he had raised inflammatory slogans. Mohammad’s attorney, on the other hand, clarified that his client had indeed attended the protest but had not been the leader of the demonstration.
Mohammad, aged 31, had been charged by the NIA under Section 4/25 (1B) (b) of the Arms Act of 1959. The bail was granted by Special NIA Court Judge Ravindra Kumar. After Mohammad’s arrest in July of the previous year, the NIA had issued a statement claiming that he was a close associate of the primary perpetrator, Riyaz Attari, and had been actively involved in the conspiracy to murder tailor Kanhaiya Lal.
Kanhaiyalal murder case
On June 28 last year, Mohammed Riyaz Akhtari and Mohammed Ghouse, arrived at Kanhaiyalal Teli’s shop, Supreme Tailors in the Bhootmahal area of Udaipur’s Dhanmandi, around 2.30 PM yesterday pretending to be customers. As Kanhaiyalal was taking their measurement, they suddenly attacked him with sharp weapons, stabbing and ultimately slitting his throat.
He was receiving death threats ten days before the brutal murder because he had allegedly posted on social media in support of ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. It must be highlighted that despite Kanhaiyalal having lodged a police complaint naming the accused who were threatening, the authorities did not take any proactive action and only instructed him to be ‘careful’. He had shut the shop due to the threats and was incidentally murdered the day he opened it after six days.
It is worth pointing out that Kanhaiyalal was arrested following a complaint by his Muslim neighbour. Then they let him out and bail, claiming to have worked out a ‘compromise’ between both parties. Their advice to Kanhaiyalal was to ‘stay safe’ and his pleas for meaningful police protection fell on deaf ears. The poor man kept his shop closed for days out of fear, but was brutally murdered as soon as he reopened the shop by two jihadis posing as customers.
Kanhaiyalal is survived by his wife and two sons – Yash (19) and Tarun (17). The family was assured Rs 31 lakhs compensation and government jobs for both sons by the administration. The accused Akhtari and Ghouse were arrested around 7 PM the same day from the Bhim police station area in Rajsamand district while they were en route to Ajmer. They are both residents of the Surajpol area of Udaipur.
Besides sharing the video of the attack on social media, the two accused later also posted a separate video proudly claiming Kanhaiyalal’s murder while brandishing huge blood-stained daggers (probably the murder weapon). Making the Islamic religious greeting, “Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh (Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings)”, Akhtari introduces himself and Md. Ghouse, before stating that they have beheaded the Udaipur man (Kanhaiyalal).
In their video, the accused also threatened PM Modi and Nupur Sharma, saying, “Listen, o Narendra Modi, you started the fire but we will douse it. Inshallah (Allah willing), I request my God that this dagger will reach your neck too and that bi**h (an abusive reference to Nupur) too. All people of Udaipur should raise the slogan, ‘Gustak-e-nabi ki ek hi saaza, sar tan se juda’. Remember us in your blessings”.
One year one, Kanhaiyalal is yet to get justice while his murderers and other accused involved in the conspiracy are granted bail.
(Featured Image Source: OpIndia)
