A district court has rejected the interim bail plea of Zafar Ali, president of Shahi Jama Masjid, and scheduled the hearing for his regular bail petition on April 2.

Ali, a prominent lawyer and community leader, was arrested for his alleged role in the November 2024 violence in Sambhal, which erupted following a court-ordered survey of the mosque. While police claim his involvement in inciting the unrest, locals argue that he was targeted for speaking out against police violence that claimed five Muslim lives.

Additional District Judge II, Nirbhay Narayan Rai, dismissed Ali’s interim bail plea on Thursday after hearing arguments from both sides. Additional District Government Counsel Hariom Prakash Saini stated that the prosecution strongly opposed the bail, citing serious charges, including inciting a crowd, provoking violence, and damaging public property. Based on these submissions, the court denied the interim bail but scheduled a regular bail hearing for April 2.

Ali was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday in connection with the violence that followed the survey of the historic mosque.

According to the police, he was among the first to be informed about the survey on November 19, 2024, and played a key role in mobilizing the protests that later turned violent.

Also read: Sambhal Mosque Committee Head Zafar Ali Arrested Ahead of Judicial Testimony

Reportedly the FIR reveals that Ali’s arrest was based on a complaint filed by Jitendra Deepak Rathi, a senior official of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The complaint alleges that Ali incited local Muslims to attack a VHP team visiting Sambhal after the survey. He has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, as well as provisions of the Indian Evidence Act, 2023, and the Public Property Damage Prevention Act, 1984.

The violence in Sambhal erupted on November 24, 2024, when an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team arrived at the Shahi Jama Masjid for a court-mandated survey. Tensions escalated after the team was accompanied by a Hindutva group chanting religious slogans.

As local Muslims gathered to protest, clashes broke out between demonstrators and the police. Security forces opened fire, killing five Muslim men and injuring several others. While authorities labelled the demonstrators as rioters, local residents claim the administration has systematically targeted the Muslim community in the aftermath.

So far, 79 people, including three women, have been arrested in connection with the violence. A total of 130 bail applications have been filed in the Chandausi court in Sambhal, but none have been granted. Zafar Ali is the first member of the mosque committee to be taken into custody.

Ali’s arrest is widely seen as a consequence of his outspoken stance against police violence in Sambhal. He was among the first to publicly accuse senior district officials of orchestrating the police firing on Muslim youth. A day after the killings, he held a press conference, alleging that he had personally witnessed discussions between the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Superintendent of Police (SP), and District Magistrate (DM) regarding the firing orders.

“The protesters did not open fire. It was the police who were shooting. I even saw them using desi kattas (country-made guns),” Ali had said at the press briefing.

He criticized the administration for its failure to handle the situation, accusing officials of fueling panic and mishandling the crisis.

Ali claimed he had tried to de-escalate the situation by urging people to go home, successfully dispersing most of the crowd. However, he alleged that the police’s aggressive actions, including lathi charges and threats, provoked further unrest.