The Jharkhand High Court on Monday granted bail to JVM principal general secretary and Podaiyahaat legislator Pradeep Yadav, while it rejected the bail applications filed by former Minister Yogendra Sao and his wife Nirmala Devi, on the ground of having serious charges against them and being prime accused in the Barkagaon violence which erupted on October 1 last year in Hazaribagh. Four persons were killed during the violence.
Meanwhile, the Court allowed the bail application filed by Ankit Raj, son of Sao couple, for not having his direct involvement in it.
Yadav, however, will remain in the jail as he is yet to secure bail for him in one of the cases registered against him in Godda. He is currently languishing in the Central Jail of Dumka for staging protests against a power project coming up over there for more than last over four months.
"He has already secured bail in the four cases, but will still remain in jail as he is yet to get bail in one more case registered against him which is likely to be taken up in next two weeks. All the five cases are of similar nature related to staging protest against the upcoming Adani Power Plant in Godda," said his counsel Rajendra Krishna. Yadav was granted bail as no concrete evidences were found against him, he added.
His application, however, was protested by Advocate General (AG) Ajit Kumar on the ground that Yadav might create further disturbances if granted bail at this stage.
"The Court of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay granted bail to him taking the ground that he had been in the judicial custody for the last four months," said the AG.
It was alleged in the FIR that a general meeting was being conducted on March 5, 2017 on the issue of environment for establishment of 1600 MW power plant by Adani Power. When the hearing got concluded at 12:05 PM and people started going out from the premises, Yadav along with his supporters provoking the common villagers and telling them to oppose the meeting, prompted his supporters to prevent the Government officials from discharging their duty and subsequent thereto about 150-200 supporters of the petitioner started pelting stones as a result of which they had a law and order problem.
The police resorted to tear gas shelling and on account of the incident several police personnel also sustained injuries and Government vehicles were also damaged.
Yogendra Sao, his wife Nirmala Devi, and son Ankit Raj had surrendered in a Hazaribagh court on May 22 after the Supreme Court rejected their bail granted by Jharkhand High Court in case no. 228/16 registered in Barkagoan police station.
Yogendra Sao was sent to Dumka jail while his wife MlA Nirmala Devi and son Ankit Raj were sent to Hazariagh central jail.
The incident occurred when the police were taking away Congress MlA Nirmala Devi after arresting her from the site of protest against coal mining project of NTPC in Chirudih village under Barkagaon Police Station. Police had opened fire after Nirmala Devi was freed by a mob in Dadi Kala village and an Additional SP and the Circle Officer were abducted and assaulted by the mob.
An FIR (228/16) was lodged in Barkagaon Police Station in Hazaribagh district in which former Minister Yogendra Sao, his wife Nirmala Devi and their son Ankit Raj were named as accused.