Gauhati High Court grants bail to man who posted ‘Taliban are not terrorists’ on Facebook
It is doubtful whether the contents of FB post alone can constitute cognizable offence, Court said
Gauhati (Assam): The Gauhati High Court on Monday granted bail to a person who was arrested on charges of allegedly posting on Facebook that the Taliban in Afghanistan were not terrorists.
The accused was booked under Section 120-B [Punishment of Criminal Conspiracy], Section 153-A(1)/153-B(1), Section 298 [Uttering, words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings], Sections 505(1) [Statements conducing public mischief] and 505(2) [Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes] of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 read with Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, a report of Bar and Bench website stated.
Justice Suman Shivam who was hearing the case stated that there was nothing incriminating in regards to the Facebook post of the accused and granted bail to the accused.
The Court opined "There is nothing incriminating against the applicant save and except the fact that there is a Facebook post emanating from his personal account. It is doubtful as to whether the contents thereof alone would constitute a cognizable offence. In view of the above, I am of the view that further custodial detention of the applicant would be uncalled for in this case."
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Will Prajwal Revanna return to Bengaluru tonight?
Speculation arises after Munich-Bengaluru ticket surfaces
Bengaluru: Amidst mounting anticipation, Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna, entangled in the Karnataka sex tapes controversy, might be making his way back to Bengaluru. NDTV has obtained a Munich-Bengaluru ticket for a Lufthansa Airlines flight, scheduled to land at 12:30 am tomorrow, bearing Revanna's name as a business class passenger.
The ticket, reportedly booked concurrently with Revanna's departure to Germany, predates the filing of an FIR against the 33-year-old MP. Reacting to the allegations, Revanna had communicated through social media on May 1 and had said, "As I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry, I have communicated to C.I.D Bangalore through my Advocate. Truth will prevail soon."
Nevertheless, several instances of tickets purportedly booked in Revanna's name have surfaced in recent weeks, all turning out to be false alarms. In response, the Karnataka police's Special Investigation Team (SIT), overseeing the high-profile case, has advised airport authorities to remain vigilant. A lookout notice and a Blue Corner notice have been issued to locate Revanna.
The scandal erupted when numerous explicit videos, allegedly featuring Prajwal Revanna, emerged last month, just ahead of the elections. Consequently, an SIT was formed to probe the case, resulting in Revanna's suspension from the JDS party. He faces a slew of charges, including rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, and criminal intimidation.
His father, JDS legislator HD Revanna, was arrested in connection with one of these cases but is currently out on bail. HD Revanna faces a kidnapping charge, triggered by allegations of his involvement in the abduction of a woman who had been employed as a house help at their residence. Allegations of a leaked video purportedly showing Prajwal Revanna engaging in sexual abuse have further complicated matters.
The sex tapes scandal has escalated into a big political issue, with the JDS claiming conspiracy and the Congress seizing the opportunity to target the BJP, which has formed an alliance with the JDS for the Lok Sabha elections. JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy insinuated that powerful forces were behind the leak, hinting at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
In response, Shivakumar asserted his non-involvement, stating, "I am neither director nor producer. I am only an exhibitor, theater exhibitor." On Kumaraswamy's allegations that HD Revanna was arrested to defame Deve Gowda, Shivakumar had said, "Not at all. See, I too feel sorry for him (Revanna). I, too, feel that such things should not happen. It's such a big family. Let them think whatever they want but I don't wish anything bad for anyone and I don't need it."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has weighed in, advocating zero tolerance for individuals like Prajwal Revanna and blaming the Congress-led Karnataka government for permitting the JDS MP to leave the country.
