3 min readLucknowUpdated: Jan 28, 2026 02:32 AM IST
The Allahabad High Court Tuesday granted interim anticipatory bail to Mohammad Alam, a biscuit seller wanted in connection with a November 2024 Sambhal violence case on several charges including attempt to murder, rioting using weapons, and attacking policemen on duty.
Granting relief subject to conditions, the court directed that in the event of non-compliance with any of these, the prosecution would be at liberty to move an appropriate application seeking cancellation of the interim anticipatory bail.
This comes after then Sambhal Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Vibhanshu Sudheer on January 9 ordered lodging of an FIR against then Circle Officer (CO) of Sambhal City Anuj Chaudhary, and other policemen, for injuries sustained by Alam during alleged police firing in the violence.
However, the FIR has not yet been registered, with the Sambhal Superintendent of Police stating that the police would approach the High Court to challenge the order.
The FIR order was in the news last week after CJM Sudheer was transferred to Sultanpur district as Civil Judge (Senior Division) on January 20. He was replaced by Aditya Singh, Civil Judge, Senior Division, Sambhal at Chandausi.
Singh was the same judge who had cleared a survey of the Sambhal Jama Masjid on November 19 two years ago on a petition claiming that a temple had been demolished to build the mosque in 1526. Following this, violence had broken out which left four dead and several, including policemen, injured.
However, Singh too was transferred back to his original post.
Alam’s plea
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Submitting before the court that Alam was innocent, his counsel said he apprehends being arrested in the case. The counsel further submitted that Alam had suffered gunshot injuries in the alleged incident and underwent treatment. He said the applicant would not misuse the liberty of bail, will cooperate with the investigation and obey all bail conditions.
Opposing the plea, the government counsel contended that Alam had not suffered any gunshot injury due to police firing.
After hearing the parties, a HC bench of Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha ordered, “Considering the… submissions of the learned counsel for the applicant, and without expressing any opinion on merits, the applicant, Mohd Alam, involved in the aforesaid case, be released on interim anticipatory bail on his furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Court concerned till 25.2.2026.”
The court fixed February 25 as the next date of hearing and asked the government counsel to file a counter affidavit.
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Alam’s application was moved under BNS sections 191(3), 223(b), 309(4), 125, 109(1), 121(2), 121(1), 132, 221, 352, 115(2), 190, 191(2) in the case lodged at Sambhal police station.
