Shahrukh Pathan, an accused in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, known for pointing a gun at police officers during the violence, lost his father on Monday. His father battled prolonged illness for the past five years.
Taking to the social media platform X, Advocate Saif Alam announced the obituary notice: “Saddened to hear that Sharukh Pathan’s father, who had been bravely battling illness for the past 5 years, has passed away.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
May Allah grant him maghfirah, elevate his ranks, and grant him Jannah. May Allah give strength and sabr to the family during this difficult time,” he posted.
In March 2025, a Delhi court had granted 15 days interim bail to Sharukh Pathan on account of his father’s hospitalization for severe medical complications at R K Narendra Prakash Hospital. Earlier to this, he received parole to meet his ailing father.
Shahrukh Pathan became the “poster boy” of the 2020 Delhi riots after his footage went viral demonstrating him pointing a pistol at Head Constable Deepak Dahiya’s head during clashes at Maujpur-Jaffrabad on February 24. The family, however, claims that he grabbed a dropped pistol from a slipping man in self-defense and stone-pelting, only to disperse the attackers.
A case was registered under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting while armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant), 307 (attempt to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant), 333 (causing grievous hurt to a public servant), 427 (mischief causing damage), 435 (mischief by fire), 436 (arson), 450 (house trespass to commit an offense), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court denied bail to Shahrukh Pathan, noting that the court had already denied him bail in October and
A Delhi court has denied bail to Shahrukh Pathan, the man whose image pointing a gun at a police officer during the February 2020 northeast Delhi Riots went viral on social media. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts dismissed the bail plea, noting that the Delhi High Court had already denied him bail in October last year, saying that no significant change in circumstances had taken place since then.
“When the Hon’ble High Court has declined bail to the applicant/accused vide order dated 22.10.2024 and the circumstances have not changed, except for the fact that almost one and a half years have passed, this Court should not grant bail to him even now,” the judge said.
This was Pathan’s eleventh bail application. His lawyer previously argued that he had already spent more than half of the maximum ten-year sentence prescribed under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code.
Pathan’s case remains ongoing at Karkardooma Court, and he is lodged in Tihar Jail.
