Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted bail to two men arrested for allegedly promoting enmity through an Instagram reel expressing support for Iran amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.
The accused, Wasim Khan and Yousuf Mehafooz, were taken into custody on March 8 following a complaint by one Brajesh Chavariya. They were booked under Section 196(1)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with promoting enmity between different groups.
According to the complaint, the two men appeared in a social media video where they were heard saying they would support Iran, along with religious slogans asserting that Indian Muslims would not be afraid. The complainant alleged that the content was provocative and could incite communal disharmony.
However, in its order dated April 9, Justice Ramkumar Choubey observed that the material on record did not support the allegations. The court noted that the statements made in the reel merely expressed support for Iran and did not amount to promoting enmity among communities in India.
“The content… cannot be said to be promoting enmity between different groups… rather it is only showing a protest in favour of foreign country Iran, which is recently facing war with the United States of America,” the Bench said.
The court further remarked that the police appeared to have registered the FIR without sufficient material to establish the alleged offence. It found no prima facie evidence indicating that the accused had attempted to incite violence or hatred. Granting relief, the court directed that both accused be released on bail upon furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each, along with one surety of a similar amount. They have also been directed to appear before the trial court as required and comply with provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.