Mamman Khan v. State of Haryana (Nuh riots case)

In August 2023, communal clashes erupted in Nuh, Haryana, leaving six dead and many injured. Mamman Khan, a sitting Congress MLA, was arrested in September 2023, charged with masterminding the riots, criminal conspiracy, sedition, and attempt to murder. He was accused of delivering inflammatory speeches and mobilizing crowds. After bail was repeatedly denied by the trial court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Khan approached the Supreme Court in 2025, arguing that the charges were politically motivated, lacked direct evidence linking him to the violence, and that prolonged pre-trial detention violated his fundamental rights. The Supreme Court examined call records, video evidence, and witness statements. In a significant order passed in early 2025, the Court granted conditional bail, noting the absence of prima facie evidence of his direct participation in the violence and emphasizing the principle that bail should not be withheld as a punitive measure.

The Supreme Court granted bail to Mamman Khan in 2025, observing a lack of prima facie material showing his direct involvement in the rioting. The court imposed strict conditions, including surrendering his passport and not influencing witnesses, while directing the trial to proceed expeditiously.

Whether the prosecution presented sufficient direct evidence to link Mamman Khan to the conspiracy and violence beyond his political speeches; whether the prolonged pre-trial custody of over 18 months justified bail; and whether the sedition charges were a political tool to target opposition voices.

The decision sparked mixed reactions: the opposition welcomed it as a vindication against political vendetta, while victims' families expressed disillusionment. It intensified the debate on communal polarization in Haryana and raised questions about the misuse of stringent laws like sedition against elected representatives. Civil liberties groups hailed the ruling as a reinforcement of the principle that bail is the rule.