'Mohammad Deepak', who stood up for Muslim shopkeeper, gets bail in threat case

Deepak Kumar, a gym owner from Uttarakhand who had come into the public eye earlier this year for confronting Bajrang Dal members allegedly harassing a Muslim shopkeeper, was granted bail by a local court on Friday, a day after his arrest in a case linked to an alleged threat to a businessman, police said.Kumar was produced before the court of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Kotdwar at around 6.30 pm. He was granted bail after furnishing three bonds of Rs 50,000 each.

Officials said a notice was also issued to him under Section 130 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, warning of punitive action if he causes any breach of peace over the next six months.The action followed a complaint lodged on Thursday evening by local businessman Sanjeev Tonk, who accused Kumar of rude behaviour, using abusive language and issuing death threats over a social media comment.According to the complaint, Tonk had commented on a social media post shared by Kumar.

After this, Kumar allegedly went to Tonk's shop at around 10.30 am on Thursday, verbally abused him and threatened to kill him.Police initially registered a case under sections 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation and 352 for intentional insult. Officials said sections 196, for promoting enmity between groups, and 115, for voluntarily causing hurt, were later added on the basis of investigative findings and CCTV footage.“

The investigation also revealed Deepak's prior involvement in social disputes that disrupted law and order. He was arrested on Thursday under Section 170 of the BNSS to prevent further offences after reports of him gathering crowds and creating a tense atmosphere,” a senior police official said.Kumar had first drawn public attention in January during a dispute in Kotdwar over the name of an elderly Muslim shopkeeper's establishment.

A video of him backing the shopkeeper and identifying himself as “Mohammad Deepak” had gone viral on social media. With his bail now granted, the case remains centred on the complaint by the businessman, the added charges and the warning issued by the court under the BNSS.- Ends