Interim Relief Granted Amid Coaching Rivalry Tensions

In a significant development in the high-profile Patna coaching centre clash, a local court on Tuesday stayed the arrest of popular educator Faisal Khan, widely known as Khan Sir, while hearing his anticipatory bail plea. The court also directed police to submit the case diary and barred any coercive action against him until the next hearing on June 20.

The order brings temporary relief to the director of Khan Global Studies, who faces charges of attempted murder and illegal use of firearms following a violent incident on June 2 outside his institute in the Kadamkuan police station area.

Self-Defence Claim in Court

Appearing for Khan Sir, advocate Arvind Kumar Mahuar argued that the firing by security guards was purely in self-defence during a scuffle and not meant to spread panic. He told the court that no one was injured by the shots, which were fired into the air as a group allegedly attacked the premises.

The lawyer emphasised that Khan Sir had instructed guards to protect lives and property when police response was delayed. Initial reports indicate the altercation began around 10:10 pm when 15-20 people reportedly pelted stones, vandalised property, and assaulted a security guard.

Rival Director's Bail Plea Rejected

In a contrasting development on the same day, the court rejected the bail plea of Roshan Anand (also referred to as Raushan Anand), director of Gyan Bindu Coaching. Anand remains in judicial custody in connection with the attack on Khan Sir's institute. Police had arrested him along with others soon after the incident based on CCTV footage and witness accounts.

Students associated with Gyan Bindu took to the streets on Monday, organising a candle march in Patna demanding Anand's release. They raised slogans claiming his innocence and alleging false implication, with some posters reading “Don’t ruin our lives in false cases.” Police stopped the march from proceeding further towards Kargil Chowk.

Guards' Bail Order Reserved

The court also reserved its order on the regular bail pleas of Khan Sir's two security guards, Deepak Kumar and Talebar Singh, arrested on June 4. Their lawyer presented arguments before the First Class Judicial Magistrate. A separate case of attempt to murder and violation of the Arms Act was registered against the guards based on statements linking them to the firing.

Khan Sir had reportedly told the guards, according to police records, “You fire the shots, I’ll take care of the rest,” though his legal team strongly contests the interpretation and context.

Background of the Clash

The June 2 incident exposed deep-seated rivalry among coaching institutes in Patna’s bustling Musallahpur Haat area. Khan Sir, known for his affordable fees and large student following through his YouTube channel and classes, claimed the attack was driven by professional jealousy. He later shared CCTV footage in class, pointing out that one assailant involved in beating a guard had not been arrested.

In a classroom address, Khan Sir also warned students that closure of his institute could lead to fee hikes at other centres, touching on the commercial pressures in Bihar’s competitive coaching ecosystem. He maintained his motive was education, not profit.

Police initially received complaints of firing but later clarified based on technical analysis that shots were fired from within the institute premises. Khan Sir had initially praised police response but later noted in videos that officers arrived late, justifying the guards' actions.

Public Reactions and Impact

The case has sparked widespread debate in Patna, with students from both sides mobilising. Supporters of Khan Sir highlight the need for security in such environments, while critics question the use of firearms. The episode underscores growing tensions in the coaching industry, where competition for students is intense.

Local authorities are continuing investigations, with both sides trading allegations. The court’s directive for the case diary suggests a thorough scrutiny of evidence, including videos and statements, in the coming days.

As the matter heads towards the next hearing on June 20, the stay provides breathing space for Khan Sir even as the legal battle over the broader incident continues. The outcome could have implications not just for the individuals involved but for the regulation of coaching centres and law and order in the education hub of Bihar.

High Court cancels anticipatory bail as CBI records 360-degree visuals of Giribala Singh’s Katara Hills home

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday moved rapidly after the Madhya Pradesh High Court cancelled anticipatory bail for retired judge Giribala Singh in the high-profile death of 22-year-old Twisha Sharma, officials and sources said, with investigators conducting detailed digital mapping of the accused’s house and questioning her at the residence. According to sources familiar with the probe, Giribala could be arrested any time.

Order and timing

The High Court’s 17-page order, issued late on Wednesday, set aside the anticipatory bail granted earlier by a trial court. The bench observed that given the seriousness of the allegations, the evidence on record and the present stage of the investigation, relief was not warranted. The court noted multiple injury marks on Twisha’s body and said the accused had not offered satisfactory explanations, according to a copy of the order made available to reporters.

CBI activity at scene

A CBI team reached Giribala Singh’s home in the Katara Hills area of Bhopal around 10.30 am on Thursday and began questioning her, officials said. Investigators installed a high-intensity 3D camera inside the residence to take precise measurements and record 360-degree visuals of the first floor and other areas, part of a broader effort to recreate the crime scene and preserve digital evidence.

“Teams are recording the internal layout, the heights of walls and vantage points that could help corroborate statements,” an official involved in the probe said on condition of anonymity. The visuals are being added to the case file as scientific evidence, the source added.

Sequence of events

Twisha, who was married in 2023, died on the night of May 12 and was taken to AIIMS Bhopal, where an initial post-mortem recorded hanging marks and other injuries, the court order said. Police seized mobile phones and a DVR from the house the same day. The trial court had earlier granted anticipatory bail after noting certain WhatsApp messages that primarily complained about the husband and financial transfers into Twisha’s account. That order has now been overturned following a deeper review by the High Court.

Allegations and evidence

Prosecutors and investigating agencies contend WhatsApp chats and statements from Twisha’s family indicate alleged mental harassment, pressure to abort a pregnancy and demands for dowry. The High Court flagged inconsistencies in the defence account and raised concerns about potential attempts to influence the probe, noting public statements that could have tarnished the deceased’s image.

The post-mortem, the court said, found injuries that could not be explained simply as marks sustained while cutting down a body, making custodial interrogation of key accused necessary. The CBI has also been examining call detail records, digital backups and CCTV footage, and is probing whether any footage was tampered with, officials said.

Custody and questioning

Twisha’s husband, Samarth Singh, remains in CBI remand until May 29 as investigators try to reconstruct his whereabouts on the night of May 12 and reconcile his statements with technical evidence. Sources said the agency is also tracing contacts he had while allegedly absconding and matching his movements with phone records and digital footprints.

Security and ground reaction

Security around Giribala’s home was tightened on Thursday, with additional police personnel deployed in the neighbourhood. Local residents and journalists gathered outside the house; a reporter from a Bhopal daily filed live updates as the CBI proceeded. In a brief sighting on Thursday morning, Giribala was seen outside feeding street dogs, one source said.

What happens next

With anticipatory bail vacated and the CBI actively recording and analysing scene visuals, officials say an arrest could follow if questioning and evidence review point to custodial needs. The agency is expected to seek formal remand if it decides to take Giribala into custody. Court filings and formal charges, if any, will determine the next legal steps.

Investigators stressed that the probe is ongoing and that conclusions will rely on the forensic, digital and circumstantial evidence being assembled. The CBI declined immediate comment; the High Court registry confirmed the order but did not offer further comment beyond the written judgment.

SC grants anticipatory bail to Pawan Khera, cites political rivalry in Assam defamation case 

Congress leader faces charges over remarks against CM’s wife; top court says liberty must be protected in politically charged complaints

Supreme Court intervenes

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in a criminal defamation and forgery case registered by Assam Police. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and AS Chandurkar set aside the Gauhati High Court’s earlier order that had refused pre-arrest protection to the leader.

The court observed that the circumstances surrounding the case indicated an element of political rivalry, adding that personal liberty cannot be compromised in disputes that appear to stem from electoral or ideological conflict.

Case filed after press conference remarks

The legal trouble for Khera began after he alleged at a recent press conference that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan, held multiple foreign passports and had undisclosed assets abroad. The complaint, filed by Bhuyan, triggered an FIR that included charges of defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

Assam Police officials travelled to Khera’s Delhi residence on 7 April, but he was not present at the time. Khera then sought legal recourse through the Telangana High Court, which granted him transit anticipatory bail for one week on 10 April.

Timeline of legal moves

That relief was short-lived. On 15 April, the Supreme Court stayed the Telangana High Court’s order following an appeal from the Assam government. Two days later, the top court refused to extend the transit bail period and directed Khera to approach the Gauhati High Court instead.

Khera complied, arguing in his petition before the Gauhati bench that his statements were made in a political and public context during a press conference. He claimed the FIR was nothing more than an act of political vendetta, especially since the complainant was the Chief Minister’s wife.

High Court had sought custodial interrogation

On 24 April, the Gauhati High Court rejected his plea. In its order, the bench said custodial interrogation was necessary to identify the sources who provided Khera with the documents he had cited. The court also observed that while political criticism of a sitting chief minister might be excusable as political rhetoric, dragging an “innocent woman” into the matter changed the nature of the case.

It clarified that this was not a simple defamation case and noted that Khera had not yet substantiated his claims with evidence.

What the Supreme Court said

After the high court’s refusal, Khera moved the Supreme Court again. The bench on Wednesday said liberty must be protected, especially when the alleged offence is rooted in political rivalry. While the court did not comment on the truth of Khera’s original claims, it made it clear that anticipatory bail should not be denied lightly when personal liberty is at stake.