The Bombay high court on Friday sought the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s response to an appeal filed by Irfan Khan, a key accused in the 2022 murder of Amravati pharmacist Umesh Kolhe, challenging a trial court order refusing to drop charges against him.
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A division bench of justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata issued notice to the federal agency and scheduled the matter for hearing after four weeks.
Kolhe, who owned a medical store in Amravati, was attacked and hacked to death on June 21, 2022, while returning home on his scooter. His son and daughter-in-law were travelling separately nearby but could not save him. According to NIA, the murder was linked to social media posts supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who had made controversial remarks about the Prophet at the time.
Khan, a real estate dealer, was arrested on July 2, 2022, and is accused of allegedly instigating and supporting the assailants who killed Kolhe.
In its March 10 ruling on his discharge application, the special NIA court rejected the plea and observed that the murder was carried out with the intention of spreading terror, particularly among Hindus, and therefore attracted provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in addition to charges under the Indian Penal Code.
According to the chargesheet, the conspiracy began after Yusuf Khan, a veterinary doctor, circulated a screenshot of a message allegedly posted by Kolhe in a WhatsApp group. NIA claims the screenshot was shared in another group, “Kalim Ibrahim”, created by Irfan Khan, triggering discussions that culminated in a conspiracy to eliminate Kolhe.
The agency alleges that on June 19, 2022, Mohammad Shoeb, Atib Rashid, Irfan Khan and Shahim Ahemad met at Gausiya Hall in Amravati and allegedly decided to kill Kolhe, with Khan agreeing to provide support. NIA has described Khan as the mastermind behind the conspiracy and accused him of recruiting individuals who remained out of the limelight.
Khan, however, maintains that he has been falsely implicated. In his plea, he stated that he has no criminal record, runs the NGO Rahebar, which provided medical assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic, and has deep roots in society. He claims he has been targeted due to rivalry and the actions of anti-social elements.
