Greater Noida: A city court on Friday denied second bail to the father-in-law in the Nikki Bhati alleged murder case, citing that the involvement of the accused cannot be denied at this stage. On December 5, the court rejected the first bail application of the brother-in-law, citing “not sufficient ground”.
Nikki was rushed to a private hospital in Greater Noida with severe burn injuries on August 21. She was referred to a hospital in Delhi, where she was declared brought dead. Nikki’s family levelled a series of allegations against her husband’s family, including demands for dowry, mental harassment, objections to her use of social media, and assault.
On November 22, police arrested Nikki’s husband, Vipin Bhati along with his brother Rohit, father Satveer, and mother Daya on charges of murder, voluntarily causing hurt, and criminal conspiracy. Police later filed a 173-page chargesheet, naming the four as accused.
Counsel Manoj Bhati, for Nikki’s husband Vipin, said, “The father-in-law’s involvement is completely false and out of enmity. At the time of the incident, he was at his grocery shop on the ground floor. As he heard a commotion, he rushed and helped in taking Nikki to the hospital.”
The order added that Nikki’s 6-year-old son said in his police statement that his grandparents and uncle were not present at the time of the incident. “Nikki had told the hospital that she died of a cylinder blast. The suspect has no crime record,” it added.
In defence, counsel Udham Singh Tongar said, “We told the court that the grocery shop is on the ground floor and how much time it would take to reach there. The police dismissed the cylinder blast theory as no evidence of blast were found. The statements of the witnesses have not yet been recorded in the court, and if the accused is released on bail, the witnesses may be influenced.”
The court headed by Atul Shrivastava, session judge, observed that the statements recorded during investigation and the allegations made by the prosecution indicate that the charges against the accused are of a serious nature, and the involvement of the accused cannot be denied at this stage.
“The offence is of a grave nature, and the bail submitted on behalf of the accused is hereby rejected,” read the order.