New Delhi: The Supreme Court granted interim bail Friday to comedian Munawar Faruqui in a case lodged at Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Munawar Faruqui had been arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
A bench headed by Justice RF Nariman also issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Government on Munawar’s plea. The plea had been filed challenging the high court order refusing to grant regular bail to him.
The proceedings were conducted through video conferencing. The Supreme Court bench, also comprising Justice B R Gavai, also stayed the production warrant issued against the comedian in a separate case lodged in Uttar Pradesh. It was also for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
Also read: Comedian, 4 others arrested for ‘indecent’ remarks on Hindu deities
Faruqui and four others were arrested January 1 following a complaint by a BJP MLA’s son. In the complaint it was alleged that objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were passed by Faruqui. It happened when Faruqui was conducting a comedy show at a cafe in Indore on New Year’s Day. One more person was arrested subsequently.
The high court, in its order passed on January 28, had refused to grant Faeuqui bail. It noted that to ‘promote harmony’ is one of the constitutional duties and Faruqui had failed to do that.