Babu Khan Secures Bail from Allahabad High Court in Shravan Sahu Murder Case

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has granted bail to Babu Khan, a convict in the prominent Shravan Sahu murder case. The court's decision was based on parity, as co-accused Ajay Patel had been granted bail earlier on April 21, 2025. At that time, the court noted the prosecution's failure to present any prima facie evidence against Patel for conspiring to murder Sahu.

A vacation bench comprising Justice Pankaj Bhatia and Justice Chhitij Shailendra approved Khan's bail plea. This plea was filed alongside his appeal challenging the trial court's verdict, according to an order dated June 24. The special CBI court had previously sentenced Khan to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1.10 lakh on August 22, 2024, for allegedly conspiring to kill businessman Shravan Sahu.

Conviction and Appeal

The trial court convicted eight individuals in connection with the case. Khan challenged this conviction in the Allahabad High Court last year. His bail application was subsequently approved by the vacation bench on June 24, 2025. The murder of Sahu in 2017 was part of a series of violent events that began in 2013.

The conflict started on October 16, 2013, when Shravan's son, Ayush Sahu, had an altercation with the main accused, Aqeel Ansari, over purchasing beer at a bar in Lucknow's Hazratganj area. This dispute escalated, leading to Ayush's murder by Aqeel and his associates. Ansari was later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for this crime.

Chain of Events Leading to Murder

Shravan Sahu played an active role in seeking justice for his son and was a crucial witness in the case. Fearing a harsher sentence due to Shravan's continued legal involvement, Aqeel conspired to have him killed. On February 1, 2017, Shravan was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants while sitting at his oil shop counter at Bada Chauraha Dalmandi in Lucknow.

The attackers fled after firing multiple rounds. Shravan was rushed to a trauma centre but was declared dead upon arrival. Following this incident, Shravan's other son, Sunil Sahu, lodged a police complaint naming Aqeel as the mastermind behind both murders.

Investigation and Legal Proceedings

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation of these cases. During the trial, they presented 51 witnesses and over 100 documents as evidence. The legal proceedings have been closely followed due to their complexity and high-profile nature.

This series of events highlights the intricate web of violence that led to multiple convictions and ongoing legal battles. The recent bail approval for Babu Khan marks another chapter in this prolonged saga.

With inputs from PTI