“Prima facie; scurrilous, disparaging utterances, outraging religious feelings of a class of citizens of India with deliberate intendment, were made by the applicants,” the court said.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court today rejected bail plea of stand-up comic Munawar Faruqui. On Januear 2, Munawar Faruqui and his aide Nalin Yadav were held for allegedly hurting religious sentiments during their show.
A complaint was registered aagainst the comic by local BJP MLA’s son accusing Munawar Faruqui of passing indecent remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a show. A local court had then sent them to judicial custody.
The evidence collected till now shows that “outraging religious feelings of a class of citizens of India with deliberate intendment” were made by the applicants, the Indore bench of court observed. “The evidence/material collected so far, suggest that in an organized public show under the garb of standup comedy at a public place on commercial lines, prima facie; scurrilous, disparaging utterances, outraging religious feelings of a class of citizens of India with deliberate intendment, were made by the applicants.”
The High court, dismissing the bail applications of both individuals, said: “There is also a specific assertion by the learned counsel for the complainant that the applicant along with other co-accused persons allegedly making outraging filthy jokes in social media deliberately against Hindu Gods, Lord Shriram and Goddess Seeta hurting religious sentiments of Hindus for the last 18 months despite, protest on various social media platforms. There is nothing on record to the contrary.”
According to the Live Law, the order copy read: “Before parting with the case, it is considered apposite to observe that our country is a beautiful country and sets an example of coexistence amid diversities; be it religion, language, culture, geographical locations etc, to the world at large. Mutual respect, faith and trust amongst all citizens of India are basic tenets of coexistence, in a welfare society governed by the principles of rule of law. It is the constitutional duty of every citizen of the country and also of the States to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India irrespective of religious, linguistic, regional or sectional diversities and to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture (Article 15A (e) and (f) of the Constitution of India.”
The court had rserved its order on Monday in Faruqui’s bail plea. Justice Rohit Arya, during the hearing, had asked Faruqui: “But why you take undue advantage of other’s religious sentiments and emotions. What is wrong with your mindset? How can you do this for the purpose of business?”
Th judge had expressed in the last hearing that “such people should not be spared”.
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