Men Who 'Shot At' Asaduddin Owaisi Welcomed By Rambhakt Gopal, Hindutva Groups

Sachin Pandit and Shubham Gujjar were let out on bail, and welcomed with celebrations.

Rambhakt Gopal and others welcome the two accused of firing shots at AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. 

Chetan Bhakuni/ The Quint

The two men who allegedly shot at AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi's vehicle during the UP elections are now out on bail and were welcomed by multiple right-wing Hindutva groups as well as Rambhakt Gopal on 31 July.

The two accused, Sachin Pandit and Shubham Gujjar were arrested hours after the attack on Owaisi on 3 February. The two were let out on bail last week.

In a celebration organised in their village in Greater Noida, the two were welcomed by their friends and Gopal posted pictures of the same on his Facebook page.

Rambhakt Gopal has posted pictures celebrating the return of Sachin and Shubham.

“With respected Aazad Arya Guru ji and our team of young brothers, some visuals of our meeting with Deshbhakt Sachin Hindu and Shubham Gujjar. Jai Sri Ram,” Rambhakt Gopal posted on Facebook.

Rambhakt Gopal (Centre) with Sachin Pandit and Shubham Gujjar, accused of firing on Owaisi.

Gopal has often stoked controversy by routinely posting pictures and videos, boasting about using weapons.

Poster announcing the celebrations on Sachin Pandit and Shubham Gujjar's release

Multiple shots were fired at a vehicle Owaisi was travelling in while returning to Delhi from Meerut after campaigning for the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh in February.

Sachin Pandit's Alleged Affiliation With BJP

Sachin Pandit, one of the accused in the Owaisi shooting, has in the past flaunted about his affiliation with the BJP. His facebook profile, by the name of ‘Deshbhakt Sachin Hindu’, had previously posted pictures with top BJP leaders, as well as his BJP membership card.

Sachin Pandit had posted his BJP membership card's photograph on his facebook in 2019

Screenshots of the profile, which is now locked, had earlier gone viral during Pandit’s arrest. In them, Pandit had shared pictures with Mahesh Sharma, BJP MP from Gautambuddh Nagar, Arun Singh and Laxmikant Bajpai, BJP MPs in the Rajya Sabha.

Sachin Pandit (in green) with BJP MP Mahesh Sharma. 

Sachin Pandit with BJP MPs Arun Singh and Laxmikant Bajpai

In one post from 2017, he can also be seen taking a selfie with Home Minister Amit Shah giving a speech in the background.

Sachin Pandit posted a selfie from an Amit Shah rally in 2017. 

Soon after the arrest of the two men, the Hindu Sena national president Vishnu Gupta had announced that the attackers will get legal aid by the body.