The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tinku Bhargav @ Yatendra, who was arrested in 2022 for the alleged murder and beheading of his friend, Naveen Verma, a jeweller from Agra.
The decision was made by Justice Ajay Bhanot, who observed that the accused is not a flight risk, has fully cooperated with the investigation, and has given a commitment to continue doing so during the legal proceedings.
“There is no likelihood of the applicant tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses if released on bail,” the court noted.
Bhargav had been in jail since August 2022, and this was his second attempt at bail. His first application had been rejected in January 2024. He is facing serious charges under Sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the prosecution, Bhargav allegedly plotted the murder of his friend Naveen. He reportedly called Naveen, gave him excessive alcohol, then shot him dead. After the killing, Bhargav and an associate allegedly dumped the body—except the severed head—in Sikandra, a forested area in Agra. They were reportedly caught by police while attempting to dispose of the head in another district.
“The police arrested him while he was searching for a place to dump the severed head,” the prosecution alleged.
During the latest hearing, Bhargav’s counsel argued that all prosecution witnesses had already been examined. The trial court had also filed a status report, stating that the case was now ready for proceedings under Section 313 CrPC, where the accused is questioned on the evidence presented by the prosecution.
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His lawyer further argued that Bhargav’s continued detention would limit his ability to prepare an effective defence and collect evidence in his support.
“The right to prepare a defence is a fundamental part of a fair trial,” the court emphasized while referring to its earlier ruling in Prabhat Gangwar v. State of UP.
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Taking this into account, the court granted bail with conditions. Bhargav has been instructed not to tamper with evidence or influence any witnesses, and he must appear before the trial court on scheduled dates unless specifically exempted.
Case Title: Tinku Bhargav @ Yatendra vs. State of U.P
Advocate Shantanu Srivastava represented the petitioner in the court.
