The Allahabad High Court on Friday granted bail to a group of men accused of consuming non-vegetarian food and disposing of waste into the Ganga during a boat party in Varanasi. The incident, which took place during the month of Ramzan, had sparked significant local controversy and led to criminal charges for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla passed the order after hearing the bail applications. While some of the accused were granted relief on Friday, the court has scheduled May 18 to hear the pleas of the remaining individuals involved in the case.
Background of the Controversy
The legal proceedings follow an incident on March 15, where the accused allegedly held an iftar party on a boat in the Ganga. According to the complaint, the group broke their fast by consuming meat and subsequently threw leftover waste into the river, which is considered holy by Hindus.
The FIR was lodged on March 16 following a complaint by Rajat Jaiswal, president of the Varanasi chapter of the BJP Yuva Morcha. Jaiswal alleged that the group’s actions were a deliberate attempt to outrage religious feelings and defile a place of worship.
Legal Arguments and Previous Rulings
The accused were booked under several provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections related to defiling a place of worship and disturbing social harmony.
During the high court hearing, the counsel representing the accused argued that his clients had been falsely implicated in the matter. The defense specifically noted that the clients were not named in the initial FIR.
This high court ruling follows a more stringent stance taken by the lower courts. On April 1, a sessions court in Varanasi had denied bail to the group, stating at the time that the men appeared to have intended to disturb social harmony through their actions.
The state government had previously requested time to file a counter-affidavit, which was granted by the High Court last week. With the bail now granted to a portion of the accused, the focus shifts to the upcoming hearing on May 18 for the remaining petitioners.
