The Uttarakhand Police has arrested the key accused in the Haldwani violence, Abdul Malik, and two others, a senior police official said.
Inspector General of Police (Provisioning and Modernisation) Nilesh Anand Bharne, who is also the spokesperson for the Uttarakhand Police, said, “We have arrested the key accused, Abdul Malik, from Delhi.”
With the fresh arrests, the total number of arrests has reached 81.
DGP Abhinav Kumar has announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 for the police team involved in Malik’s arrest.
Earlier in the day, Malik’s lawyers had moved an anticipatory bail application in the court of additional district and sessions judge, Haldwani.
Ajay Kumar Bahuguna, Malik’s lawyer, said, “We didn’t know that he had been arrested and moved an anticipatory bail application in the court. The bail application will be cancelled automatically.”
Bahuguna said, “Two-three days before the incident, Malik had left Haldwani and wasn’t in the town on the day of violence. He was in Dehradun.”
He said they were exploring all legal options and will likely move a bail application on the same grounds.”
Nainital senior superintendent of police (SSP) Prahlad Narayan Meena had earlier said that Abdul Malik who was the occupant of the “nazul land” had erected an illegal construction and had led the protest against the demolition.
The Nainital Police has already attached the properties of Abdul Malik and his son Abdul Moid.
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