Madhya Pradesh HC denies bail to comedian Munawar Faruqui and his aide Nalin Yadav in the case of hurting religious sentiments

Madhya High Court today denied the bail applications of self-proclaimed comedian Munawar Faruqui and his aide Nalin Yadav who are charged with hurting the religious sentiments. Faruqui was arrested by Madhya Pradesh police for insulting Gods during a stand-up comedy show in Indore. His bail application had come up before a single-judge Bench of Justice Rohit Arya for hearing.

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Rejecting the bail applications, Justice Arya observed, “…regard being had to the material seized and the statements of the witnesses and that the investigating is in process, no case is made out for grant of bail”.

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The court noted that it is the constitutional duty of every citizen of the country and also of the State to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India irrespective of religious, linguistic, regional or sectional diversities. The court reminded the State of its duty to create an environment conducive for the sustenance of coexistence in the society and to make sure that it is not “polluted by negative forces”.

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Making critical remarks regarding Faruqui’s comedy show, the High Court noted, “The evidence /material collected so far suggest that an organised public show under the garb of standup comedy on commercial lines, prima facie scurrilous, disparaging utterances, outraging religious feelings of a class of citizens of Indian were made”.

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During the previous hearing of the bail applications, the High court had spoken in a strict tone. The High Court had questioned the mindset of Faruqui for making the alleged derogatory remarks against Hindu gods. Reserving the order in the application, Justice Arya had said that such people must not be spared.

Faruqui and four other persons identified as Edwin Anthony, Prakhar Vyas, Priyam Vyas and Nalin Yadav were arrested for allegedly mocking Hindu Gods in a stand-up comedy show in Indore based on the complaint of Eklavya Singh Gaur, an activist and the chief of Hindu Rakshak Sangathan.