Haryana court grants bail to 'Jamia shooter' in Pataudi hate speech case

gurugram: A Haryana court on Monday granted bail to Ram "Bhakt" Gopal, infamously known as the "Jamia shooter" for having fired at anti-CAA protesters outside JMI, in a case related to delivering hate speeches at a "mahapanchayat" in Pataudi near Gurugram, for which he was arrested.

The court of Additional Sessions Judge DN Bharadwaj, noted that the Constitutional right to free speech comes with certain restrictions and does not allow anyone to go "wild-free".

Significantly, the court directed that Gopal should not be organising, attending or addressing any public gathering that is likely to promote disharmony among different sections of the society.

The court also restrained the accused from participating in any gathering that is "prejudicial to the maintenance of religious harmony or likely to disturb the public tranquility or cause fear or alarm or a feeling of insecurity amongst members of any religious group/community or to outrage the religious feelings of any religious group/community".

In addition, the ASJ said that Gopal will not be allowed to accept any award or recognition or felicitation from any person or group or society - be it individually or collectively. The court added that this direction would apply to the instant case and others of a similar nature. Importantly, a local court in Gurugram had earlier in July denied Gopal bail in the case, noting that there was clear proof of the accused being present at the gathering and giving hate speeches. The court also noted that his inflammatory speeches had also called for violence against religious minorities.

Gopal, while speaking in Pataudi, had boasted of firing a weapon at protesters in Delhi and even said he would not be afraid to do the same in Haryana if he thought it was needed. Several other key Hindu right-wing outfit leaders also spoke at the event against religious minorities.