Muslim Teen Accused Of Spitting On Hindu Procession Gets Bail After 151 Days (image@Pixabay)

A Muslim teen in Madhya Pradesh got bail after 151 days. One among the three teenagers, who got arrested after being accused of “intentionally spitting on Hindu religious procession from the roof of their building”. The bail was granted after the complainant and witness told the court that they neither knew the teenagers nor have they seen them spitting on the procession, but police had them sign the complaint, said a media report.

On July 19, 2023,43-year-old Ashraf Hussain Mansoori’s three storey building was demolished reportedly within half an hour of issuing demolition notice, leaving dozens of children, women and men of three families on the road. The demolition happened two days after Mansoori’s two teenage sons and their friend was accused of spitting on a Hindu religious procession.

Upon complaint of Sawan Lot (28), Ujjain police arrested three teenagers, two of whom where Mansoori’s sons, aged 18 and 15, and their friend who was also 15. They were arrested under Indian Penal Code (IPC), section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 153-A (offenses committed in place of worship), 296 (disturbing religious assembly), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

After five months, on December 15, 2023, the complainant Sawan Lot and Ajay Khatri told Madhya Pradesh High Court that police had them sign the complaint, even though their account did not match a portion of the FIR (First Information Report). On December 15, 2023, Adnan Mansoor, Ashraf Hussain Mansoori’s 18-year-old son got bail after a single-judge bench of Justice Anil Verma said that the complainant “did not support the case of prosecution”. Adnan Mansoori was granted bail two months after two the accused, who were minors, who got bail in September 19, 2023.