Jantar Mantar Hate Speech: Delhi HC Grants Bail to Event Organiser Preet Singh
New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Friday, September 24, granted bail to Preet Singh, one of organisers of the event at Jantar Mantar which saw anti-Muslim hate speech last month.
"The petition is allowed. The petitioner has been granted bail," said Justice Mukta Gupta.
Singh, who was remanded to judicial custody on August 10 after his arrest, is accused of creating enmity between different groups and inciting youth to propagate against a particular religion at the rally on August 8.
Hundreds of people had attended the protest organised by the ‘Bharat Jodo Aandolan’, demanding a uniform civil code. People gathered at the even chanted inflammatory slogans threatening the lives of Muslims. Videos of the incident had been shared multiple times, after which a police case was filed.
On August 27, Additional Sessions Judge Anil Antil had refused bail to Singh and said right to assemble and freedom to air one's thoughts are cherished under the constitution, but are not absolute and have to be exercised with inherent reasonable restrictions.
Also read: Jantar Mantar Hate Speech: Amidst Supporters’ Slogans, Pinky Chaudhury Surrenders to Police
The court had observed that Singh, who heads the Save India Foundation which had organised the event, was clearly seen “actively participating” in incendiary sloganeering at Jantar Mantar.
In his plea filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, Singh claimed that he was not involved in giving any inflammatory speeches or in raising any slogan against any person or community.
He further said that the demand of "establishing a Hindu nation" did not attract section 153A (hate speech) of the IPC and claimed he was not even present at the site at the time of sloganeering.
The Delhi Police had opposed Singh's plea for his release on bail.
DCP (New Delhi district) Deepak Yadav had told Indian Express that Preet Singh is known to BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, who has – since his arrest and bail in connection with the case – denied that he had been among the organisers.
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