Overview
- The High Court, in an April 9 order, granted bail to Wasim Khan and Yousuf Mehafooz on personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each with one surety.
- Police in Raisen arrested the pair on March 8 under Section 196(1)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a law that punishes promoting enmity between groups.
- The complaint said a reel showed the men declaring support for Iran with slogans including “Allahu Akbar” and a line that Indian Muslims would not be afraid.
- Justice Ramkumar Choubey said the video showed a protest in favor of a foreign country and did not prima facie urge enmity across religion, race, place of birth, residence, or language.
- State counsel opposed bail citing an active investigation and possible new evidence, as the court kept the case alive without ruling on guilt in a climate of growing judicial scrutiny of social-media arrests.