Junaid-Nasir murder case: Accused Monu Manesar released from jail after Rajasthan high court grants bail

JAIPUR: Monu Manesar, an accused in the 2023 Junaid and Nasir murder case, was released from Sevar Central Jail in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district after spending nearly two-and-a-half years in judicial custody, police said. The case pertains to the deaths of Junaid (35) and his cousin Nasir (27), whose charred bodies were found inside a burnt vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district in February 2023, according to news agency PTI. Both victims were residents of the Pahadi area, and the case was registered at the Gopalgarh police station. The Pahadi and Gopalgarh areas now fall under the newly created Deeg district, which was earlier part of Bharatpur.

The Rajasthan High Court granted Manesar regular bail on March 5. He was released on March 7 after completing the required legal formalities amid heavy security, police said. Police personnel escorted him out of the jail, while a large number of his supporters and cow vigilantes from Haryana gathered outside the premises during his release. Additional police forces were deployed in the area to maintain law and order. Family members of Junaid and Nasir had alleged that the two were kidnapped, assaulted and murdered by members of the Bajrang Dal, an allegation denied by the outfit. Manesar was accused of being part of a conspiracy in the case. In September 2023, he was taken into custody by Rajasthan Police after being arrested by Haryana Police in connection with communal violence in Nuh.