The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed pleas filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Yash Teli, son of Kanhaiya Lal—the Udaipur tailor brutally murdered in June 2022—challenging the bail granted to one of the accused, Mohammed Javed.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma refused to interfere with the Rajasthan High Court’s order that had earlier allowed Javed bail.
Counsel for Teli argued that Javed’s role was critical in the conspiracy as he allegedly provided the main assailants with information about Lal’s whereabouts. The petitioners contended that the High Court erred in granting bail without adequately considering the seriousness of his alleged involvement.
The plea also emphasized that the murder took place in a communally surcharged atmosphere, asserting that Javed was deliberately planted to monitor Lal’s movements and inform the attackers.
According to the NIA, Javed worked at a shop near Lal’s tailoring outlet and relayed real-time updates to the prime accused on the day of the crime.
On June 28, 2022, Kanhaiya Lal was hacked to death at his shop in Udaipur’s Hathipole area by two men, Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Gause. The assailants, armed with cleavers, posed as customers before attacking him, recording the act, and uploading the video online.
The killing sparked nationwide outrage, with the case being handed over to the NIA for investigation. The central agency alleged that the attack was premeditated, involving reconnaissance, weapon collection, and coordination among the accused.
Despite the arguments advanced by the NIA and the victim’s family, the apex court found no ground to interfere with the Rajasthan High Court’s order and upheld Javed’s bail.
The case continues to be investigated by the NIA, while the trial against the prime accused Riyaz and Gause remains pending.
