New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday granted bail to Preet Singh, one of organisers of an event at Jantar Mantar where communal slogans were allegedly raised last month. "The petition is allowed. The petitioner has been granted bail," said Justice Mukta Gupta.
Singh, who was remanded to judicial custody on August 10 after his arrest, is accused of creating enmity between different groups and inciting the youth to propagate against a particular religion at a rally at Jantar Mantar here on August 8.
In his plea filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, Singh claimed that he was "not involved in giving any inflammatory speech or raising any slogan against any person or community".
He asserted that the demand of establishing a Hindu nation did not attract Section 153A (hate speech) of the IPC and that he was not even present at the site at the time of sloganeering.
The Delhi Police had opposed Singh's plea for his release on bail.
On August 27, Additional Sessions Judge Anil Antil had refused bail to Singh, arrested by the Delhi Police in the case, saying right to assemble and freedom to air one's thoughts are cherished under the Constitution.
However, these are not absolute and have to be exercised with inherent reasonable restrictions.
Earlier a Delhi court had granted bail to former BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay who was arrested in connection with the communal slogans allegedly raised during a protest at the Jantar Mantar here.
On August 9, a First Information Report had been filed against an unknown group of people in connection with the alleged "raising inciting slogans" at Jantar Mantar. It was alleged by Police that Ashwini Upadhyay had called on a march "Colonial Laws and Make Uniform Laws" on Sunday where the alleged "objectionable slogans" were raised.
A video showing anti-Muslim slogans being raised during a protest at Jantar Mantar here was widely circulated on social media, following which the Delhi Police registered a case in connection with the matter.
Hundreds of people had attended the protest organised by 'Bharat Jodo Aandolan' at Jantar Mantar.
Six people, including advocate and former BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay, were arrested by Delhi Police in connection with the anti-Muslim slogans allegedly raised during a protest at the Jantar Mantar here, officials said.
