[Breaking] Supreme Court To Consider Comedian Munawar Faruqui's Bail Plea Tomorrow

The Supreme Court will consider tomorrow the petition filed by comedian Munawar Faruqui challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court order which denied him bail in a case for alleged hurting of religious sentiments.

A bench comprising Justices RF Nariman and BR Gavai will consider the special leave petition filed against the order passed by the High Court on January 28.

Apart from the SLP challenging the HC order, Munawar Faruqui has also filed a writ petition against the MP police FIR.  Both these petitions will be jointly considered by a bench headed by Justice RF Nariman tomorrow.

Faruqui, a resident of Gujarat, was arrested on January 2 along with four others for allegedly making indecent remarks against Hindu deities and against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a show held at a cafe in 56 Dukan area of Indore on January 1.

The complaint was filed against them by Eklavya Singh Gaur (36), son of local BJP legislator Malini Laxman Singh Gaur.

The other arrested persons were identified as Edwin Anthony, Nalin Yadav, Prakhar Vyas and Priyam Vyas.

On January 28, a single bench of Justice Rohit Arya of the MP High Court dismissed the bail applications filed by Faruqui and the show's organizer Nalin Yadav observing that no case was made out for grant of bail.

The bench observed that the investigation conducted so far suggested that "disparaging utterances, outraging religious feelings of a class of citizens of India with deliberate intendment, were made by the applicants".

Faruqui contended that he never made the statements during the show as alleged.

In the hearing on January 25, Justice Rohit Arya had orally remarked "Such people must not be spared".

"But why you take undue advantage of other's religious sentiments and emotions. What is wrong with your mindset? How can you do this for the purpose of your business?", the judge had asked during the hearing.