Varanasi court denies bail to 14 men arrested over iftar on Ganga boat
Varanasi: A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on Monday rejected the bail pleas of fourteen Muslim men arrested for allegedly hosting an iftar gathering on a boat in the Ganga, observing that the offences invoked against them were “serious in nature” and non-bailable.
According to a Bar&Bench report, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Amit Kumar Yadav declined relief to Azad Ali, Aamir Kaiki, Danish Saifi, Mohd. Ahmad, Nehal Afridi, Mahfooz Alam, Mohd. Anas, Mohd. Awwal, Mohd. Tahseem, Mohd. Ahmad alias Raja, Mohd. Noor Ismail, Mohd. Tausif Ahmad, Mohd. Faizan and Mohd. Sameer.
“The crimes committed by the accused were of a serious nature and non-bailable. Therefore, keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case, there are no sufficient grounds to grant bail to the accused,” the court said in its order.
The case arose after videos purportedly showing the men breaking their fast on a boat in the river went viral on social media. An FIR was later registered on a complaint by Rajat Jaiswal, city unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. In the complaint he alleged that the act had hurt religious sentiments, claiming that chicken biryani was consumed on the boat and leftovers were thrown into the river.
The accused were initially booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Sections 298 (defiling a place of worship), 299 (deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings), 196(1)(B) (promoting enmity), 270 (public nuisance), 279 (fouling water), and 223(B) (disobedience of orders by a public servant). Section 24 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 was also invoked.
Police later added Section 308(5) of the BNS, relating to extortion under threat of death or grievous hurt, after boat owners alleged that the vessel had been forcibly taken. The accused were also charged under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which penalises the transmission of allegedly obscene material in electronic form.
The court remanded the men to 14 days of judicial custody on March 19, following which they were lodged in Varanasi District Jail.
During the bail hearing, defence counsel argued that the accused were law-abiding citizens who had been falsely implicated due to personal enmity. It was also submitted that no meat items were recovered and that the viral video did not show any consumption of meat.
Opposing the plea, Assistant Prosecutor Deepak Kumar contended that the charges were grave and carried a potential punishment of up to ten years’ imprisonment. He said the investigation was ongoing and that the defence claims could not be assessed at this stage.
The prosecution further informed the court that a separate FIR had been registered based on allegations that persons linked to the accused had issued death threats to the complainant.
In addition, Jaiswal lodged another complaint at Sigra Police Station invoking Section 308(5) of the BNS, alleging threats to his life, stating that he feared being lynched as he resides in a minority-dominated area. After hearing both sides and examining the case record, the court held that there were no sufficient grounds at this stage to grant bail.
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J&K CM Abdullah inaugurates upgraded hospital, key road link during Rajouri visit
Nowshera/Jammu (PTI): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday inaugurated a vital upgraded road and a 100-bedded sub-district hospital during his visit to the border belt of Nowshera in Rajouri district, emphasising that public office is a responsibility to serve the people and improve their quality of life.
The chief minister received a rousing welcome on his arrival, with people lining both sides of the road, showering flower petals.
Soon after he arrived in Nowshera, Abdullah inaugurated a vital road link from the highway bridge to Nowshera town and the 100-bedded sub-district hospital during his tour of the area.
The visit of the chief minister, along with his cabinet colleagues, marked a major push towards strengthening connectivity and healthcare infrastructure in the region.
The upgraded road project, executed by the PWD department for Rs 7.99 crore, is expected to significantly improve connectivity, streamline traffic movement and reduce travel time for commuters, officials said.
The chief minister also inaugurated the upgraded 100-bedded sub-district hospital, developed at an estimated cost of Rs 18.18 crore. The facility is equipped with modern healthcare infrastructure aimed at enhancing patient care and expanding access to quality medical services for the people of Nowshera and adjoining areas, they said.
During his visit, Abdullah took a detailed tour of the hospital and inspected key sections, including X-ray, ECG and ultrasound rooms, examination rooms, and the blood storage unit. He interacted with doctors, staff and patients, enquiring about the availability and quality of healthcare services.
Addressing a massive public gathering, Abdullah emphasised that public office is a responsibility to serve the people and improve their quality of life.
"Positions of power are not meant for personal comfort but to bring relief to the people and make their lives easier. Our priority is to strengthen schools, hospitals, roads, and address unemployment and poverty," he said.
He highlighted key initiatives aimed at boosting connectivity, healthcare and overall socio-economic growth in Rajouri and adjoining areas.
Interacting with the public, he assured that the voices and aspirations of the people of the Pir Panjal region would continue to guide policy decisions and drive responsive governance on the ground.
The chief minister reiterated the government’s commitment to regularising daily wagers and ensuring justice for Anganwadi and ASHA workers through improved wages and stipends.
He also highlighted various welfare initiatives, including the provision of free gas cylinders to the poorest households, electricity support and free bus travel for women.
Highlighting recent developmental achievements, he noted that projects like the Nowshera road and hospital, which had remained pending for years, were completed due to the focused efforts of the present government.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said that key infrastructure projects in the region have been realised under the leadership of the chief minister, reaffirming the government's commitment to balanced and equitable development across Jammu and Kashmir.
