The Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Sandeep Kumar, an event host accused of making objectionable comments about Lord Ram and Goddess Sita during a cultural program in Seoni district, ruling that improper word choice does not automatically demonstrate an intent to offend religious feelings.
Justice Devnarayan Mishra granted pre-arrest bail on July 16, observing that a video recording from the event indicated Kumar was reciting a couplet describing a conversation among Lankan women regarding Goddess Sita’s abduction. While noting that the choice of words might have been improper, the court stated there was no immediate evidence suggesting an intention to incite religious disharmony, riots, or public mischief.
Event Background and Charges
The case stems from a cultural event organized by U.S. Agro Seeds Company, featuring a performance by bhajan singer Shahnaz Akhtar. During a brief intermission between performances, Kumar, who was hosting the function, shared a couplet while displaying a video on his tablet.
Following the event, the Barghat Police Station in Seoni district registered a case against him under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for allegedly promoting enmity through false or inflammatory statements.
Legal Arguments and Defense Claims
Advocates Vishal V.R. Daniel and Apoorva Singh Rajput, representing Kumar, argued that the host was merely referencing a passage from the Ramcharitmanas to illustrate how Ravana’s wife, Mandodari, and other Lankan residents feared the consequences of Sita’s abduction. The defense emphasized that when attendees raised objections, Kumar offered an immediate public apology on stage, which was captured on video. Defense counsel also maintained that the legal criteria for the charge, specifically the dissemination of false information or alarming news, were not met.
State prosecutors opposed the bail application, asserting that the offense was grave and that granting relief would set a harmful precedent by encouraging statements capable of hurting the religious sentiments of the majority community.
Court Findings and Conditions
In its order, the High Court observed that the alleged offense carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a fine, or both. The bench also pointed out that proceeding under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita requires prior sanction from a district collector, state government, or central government.
Without expressing an opinion on the merits of the case, the court ordered Kumar’s release in the event of arrest upon executing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with a solvent surety of the same amount, subject to standard conditions under Section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
