Bombay HC grants interim pre-arrest bail to man accused of falsely accusing Tablighi Jamaat members of assaulting him

Swati Deshpande | TNN | May 4, 2020, 16:08 IST

Bombay high court(File photo)

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has granted anticipatory bail to a man booked for falsely accusing Tablighi Jamaat members of assaulting and spitting on him. Justice S V Kotwal granted the relief to Abuzar Kalam who was booked by Shahunagar police station in Mumbai. In case he is arrested he has to be released on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 25,000.
The case against him is false said his counsel Vishal Saxena in court and that he himself had lodged a non-cognizable offence case at the same police station. The prosecutor S V Gavand sought time to file a reply and the court had on April 27 granted him the urgent interim relief till May 20, the next date when the matter will be heard.
Kalam was booked for offences including section 295-A of Indian Penal Code for hurting religious feelings, defamation, and section 504(intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace). He had made a video clip of allegations that was assaulted by some Tablighi members who also allegedly spat on him.
The FIR said that he allegations in the video were false and made deliberately to hurt religious sentiments and cause communal rift and upset the peace in society.
The court while granting the interim protection against arrest directed him to attend the police station and cooperate with the probe.