CJM's phone call leads to Comedian Faruqui's release after SC order
Indore, Feb 7: A day after a Supreme Court bail order, it took a late night phone call from a Chief Judicial Magistrate that prodded Indore jail authorities to swiftly make arrangements for the release of stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui, who is accused hurting religious sentiments.
In the call on Saturday night, Indore's Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) asked the Central Prison authorities here in Madhya Pradesh to check the SC's website for the bail order, following which Faruqui was set free, a senior official from the jail administration said on Sunday.
Arrested on January 1 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, Faruqui was in the jail for 35 days.
On Friday, the SC granted him interim bail after the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected his bail plea on January 28.
The apex court also stayed the production warrant issued against Faruqui by a court in Prayagraj in connection with an FIR lodged there.
Indore Central Jail's superintendent Rakesh Kumar Bhangre told PTI that, "A CJM rang us up on Saturday night. He said if we have not got the SC's official order regarding Faruqui, it can be checked on the apex court's website."
The jail official said they then checked the order which mentioned that all warrants against Faruqui have been stayed.
"On this basis, he was set free," the official said.
Asked why they did not check the SC's website before the CJM's call, the superintendent said since the matter is "sensitive", they were waiting for the order (hard copy) to reach them through an official source.
"This caused such a situation," he said.
Earlier, even after Faruqui's lawyers completed legal formalities in the district court, the jail authorities did not set him free on Saturday evening, contending that a production warrant of a Prayagraj court was pending against him.
Hours before his release, Faruqui's lawyers had submitted a copy of the SC's order in a local court, which then directed that he be released on a bond of Rs 50,000 and a security of the same amount. But, he was not released at that time.
Another official of the Indore Central Jail on Saturday said a court in Prayagraj had ordered Faruqui's production in a similar case on February 18.
Citing the jail manual, he had said an order from the Prayagraj court or a competent government officer was needed to release him.
A couple of hours before Faruqui was released, his cousin Zaid Pathan said they were disappointed by the jail administration's stand.
"Our belief in the judiciary was strengthened after the Supreme Court order," he had remarked.
Media persons had gathered outside the jail after getting the news of his release, but according to eyewitnesses, Faruqui walked out of the jail quietly after being set free late Saturday night.
Faruqui and four others were arrested following a complaint by a BJP MLA's son that objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were passed during a comedy show at a cafe in Indore on New Year's Day.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
