The Principal District and Sessions Court in Patna on Monday granted anticipatory bail to educator Faisal Khan, popularly known as Khan Sir, in connection with the firing incident outside his coaching institute, Khan Global Studies (KGS), in Patna last month. The Court also granted anticipatory bail to three staff members of the institute and regular bail to two security guards who were arrested in the case.
The relief was granted by Sessions Judge Rupesh Deo, who confirmed the interim anticipatory bail earlier granted to Khan on June 9 after finding no grounds for his custodial interrogation. The Court had previously directed him to cooperate with the investigation and remain available for questioning whenever required by the investigating agency.
According to Khan’s counsel, anticipatory bail was also granted to KGS manager Kanhaiya Kumar Singh, Ajit Kumar and Ankit Kumar Pandey, while the two security guards, who had remained in judicial custody, were enlarged on regular bail.
The criminal case arises from an incident on the night of June 2 outside Khan Global Studies in the Musallahpur Haat area of Patna. According to the prosecution, a group of 15 to 20 persons allegedly associated with a neighbouring coaching institute reached the premises, vandalised property, pelted stones and assaulted security personnel, leaving one guard with head injuries. Based on a complaint lodged by the KGS manager, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and arrested several persons allegedly linked to the rival coaching institute.
The investigation subsequently took a different turn after the police examined video footage purportedly showing two security guards of Khan Global Studies opening fire outside the coaching institute after the violence had subsided. According to the prosecution, the guards allegedly claimed during investigation that they had acted on the instructions of Khan and others. On the basis of these allegations, the police registered a separate FIR against Khan, the two security guards and other unidentified persons.
The FIR invokes Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, relating to attempt to murder, read with Sections 25(9), 27 and 35 of the Arms Act, which deal with unlawful possession and use of firearms and liability arising from offences involving licensed weapons.
Khan, however, maintained before the Court that he had no direct role in the firing and that the incident involved the exercise of the right of private defence by the security personnel in response to the attack on the coaching institute. He also submitted that he had cooperated with the investigation throughout the proceedings.
The complainant opposed the anticipatory bail application by alleging that Khan had suppressed details of his criminal antecedents while seeking relief. The defence, however, argued that the investigation had substantially progressed, the case diary had already been placed before the Court and no purpose would be served by raising fresh objections at that stage.
The incident has resulted in multiple FIRs and parallel investigations arising out of the violence outside the coaching institute. During the investigation into the vandalism case, Prince Yadav, the brother of one of the accused linked to the rival coaching institute, was found dead in a hotel in Nepal. Nepal Police initially indicated that there was no evidence of foul play, although the final investigation report is awaited.
Separately, Khan is also facing a civil defamation suit before the Delhi High Court filed by journalist Anjana Om Kashyap and TV Today Network, seeking damages of Rs 2 crore over allegedly defamatory remarks made during a discussion on the NEET examination system. The High Court has referred that dispute to mediation after noting the willingness of the parties to explore an amicable settlement.
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