Nasir-Junaid murder case: Monu Manesar returns to Gurugram village after getting bail

Gurugram: Monu Manesar, accused in the 2023 Junaid and Nasir murder case, returned to his native village in Gurugram, after being released on bail from a Rajasthan jail, where villagers welcomed him with drum beats and garlands.

A villager said that hundreds of people had travelled to Rajasthan to receive Monu. He was lodged in Central Jail Bharatpur, Sewar and was released on bail on Saturday after spending two-and-a-half years in judicial custody.

Around 7.30 pm, Monu came out of the jail wearing a bulletproof jacket and travelled to Manesar by road with his supporters.

The Rajasthan High Court granted Manesar regular bail on March 5, following which he was released on Saturday after completion of legal formalities amid heavy security, police said.

The villager said that as soon as Monu arrived in the village, people welcomed him to the beats of drums, garlanded him and carried him home in their arms. Celebrations continued late into the night in Manesar.

Monu alias Mohit Yadav is accused of murdering Junaid (35) and his cousin Nasir (27) in 2023 on suspicion of cow smuggling. The bodies of the cousins were found inside a burnt vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district in February 16, 2023.

Their families subsequently filed a case against five people, including Monu. Following which the Bajrang Dal activist was subsequently arrested by the Rajasthan Police from Manesar nearly two years ago.

On August 12, 2023, Monu was also arrested by the Gurugram police in connection with the Pataudi firing incident. He was also arrested for posting inflammatory posts during the Nuh riots.

The Gurugram court granted him bail in both cases, but while he was under arrest, the Rajasthan police obtained a transit remand from the court, claiming he was the main accused in the Nasir-Junaid murder case.

He was later produced before a Rajasthan court and sent to jail. He has been lodged in Central jail Bharatpur since then.