Allahabad HC Grants Interim Relief To Student Accused Of Assaulting LU Professor Over His Alleged Remarks On Kashi Vishwanath Temple

The Allahabad High Court on Monday granted interim to a Lucknow University student Kartik Pandey who has been accused of assaulting Professor Ravi Kant after he allegedly made controversial statements against the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Pandey has also been accused of hurling abuses and casteist slurs at Professor Ravi Kant Chandan. Thereafter, he was booked under Sections 323, 352, 504, 506 I.P.C. and Section 3(1) (r), 3(1) (s) of SC & ST Act. Pursuant to this, he moved to the High Court seeking a quashing of the FIR.

The Court has put an interim stay on his arrest by issuing the following order:

"Till the next date of listing or till the submission of police report under Section 173(2) Cr.P.C. whichever is earlier, the arrest of the petitionerKartik Pandey pursuant to the impugned F.I.R No.0115 of 2022, under Sections 323, 352, 504, 506 I.P.C. and Section 3(1) (r), 3(1) (s) of SC & ST Act, Police Station Hasanganj, District Lucknow, shall remain stayed of course subject to the restraint that the petitioner shall fully cooperate with the investigation and shall appear as and when called upon to assist in the investigation."

On Monday, before the Bench of Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Saroj Yadav, Pandey's counsel submitted that he had great regard for Professor Ravi Kant (private respondent no.2) and that the FIR had been lodged by the Professor against him just to harass him with oblique motive.

It may be noted that Professor Ravi Kant has been accused of making 'derogatory' remarks against Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and Hindu saints in connection with the ongoing Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque dispute. The remark was made on May 9, during a debate on Satya Hindi Youtube Channel.

Later on, he was booked under sections 153-A, 504, and 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 166 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act.

Anguished with his remarks, it is alleged, Pandey assaulted Professor Ravi Kant at Lucknow University premises on May 18. Pandey was overpowered and handed over to the police by two guards who accompanied the professor.

Pandey has also been suspended by the University and he was also ousted from the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, a student outfit of the Samajwadi Party. Advocate Chaitanya Shikhar Sharma appeared for the petitioner.

Case title - Kartik Pandey v. State Of U.P Thru. Prin. Secy. Home And Others [CRIMINAL MISC. WRIT PETITION No. - 3335 of 2022]

Click Here To Read/Download Order