The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the Uttarakhand government's challenge against the bail granted to Abdul Malik, an accused in the 2024 Haldwani Banbhoolpura violence case, while raising sharp questions over the state's invocation of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana declined to interfere with the Uttarakhand High Court's April 16, 2026 decision to grant bail, emphasizing that the matter concerned fundamental personal liberty. The underlying cases stemmed from February 2024 protests against the demolition of a madrasa in Haldwani, which escalated into violent clashes between protesters, law enforcement, and local groups, ultimately leading to five deaths and widespread arrests.
During the hearing, the apex court expressed serious reservations about applying anti-terror provisions to general law-and-order disruptions. When Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, representing Uttarakhand, argued that UAPA applied due to threats to public order, Justice Bagchi questioned whether a mob burning a police station automatically triggered anti-terror laws, drawing a firm legal distinction between public order issues and threats to national security.
The Bench observed that its doubts regarding the addition of UAPA charges were a primary reason for refusing to entertain the state's special leave petition. Additionally, the court criticized the state for the sluggish progress of the trial, noting that if the allegations were as grave as claimed, the government should have secured a conviction within two years rather than leaving the proceedings stalled.