Uttar Pradesh assault video case: Bombay High Court gives scribe Rana Ayyub 4 weeks protection from arrest

THE Bombay High Court on Monday (21) granted journalist Rana Ayyub transit anticipatory bail for four weeks in connection with the FIR lodged against her for sharing the video of an elderly Muslim man being assaulted in Ghaziabad in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh earlier this month.

A single-judge bench of Justice Prakash D Naik was hearing Ayyub’s application seeking protection from arrest so that she could approach a competent court in Uttar Pradesh pertaining to the FIR which was registered by Loni Border Police in Ghaziabad on June 15.

The FIR was filed against the journalist and others for offences punishable under sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 505 (statements conducting public mischief) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

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Ayyub was accused of circulating the video on social media without checking its authenticity.

'Ayyub deleted video after finding it was not correct'

Senior advocate Mihir Desai appeared for Ayyub and sought protection for her from arrest so that she could move an appropriate court for seeking relief in connection with the FIR. Desai told the court that applicant was a journalist who just forwarded the video from her Twitter handle and deleted it after learning that it was not correct. “On June 16, when she came to know that the content of the video was not correct, she deleted the same,” he added. He also said the offences under which Ayyub has been booked are all punishable only up to three years in jail and therefore, she should get time to approach a court concerned in the state to seek relief.

Hearing Ayyub’s submissions, the high court bench said: “Since investigation is being conducted by concerned police and since the concerned court will be dealing with the case on merits, it is not necessary to adjudicate on merits of application. However, to enable the applicant to approach the appropriate court, the protection can be granted for a temporary period of four weeks.”

“In the event of arrest, the applicant will be released on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 with one or more sureties. The protection will be granted for a period of four weeks,” the bench added.

Apart from Ayyub, the FIR also names Twitter Inc., Twitter Communications India, news website ‘The Wire’ and a couple of other journalists and leaders of the Indian National Congress. The FIR said the accused shared the video without verifying and with the intention of disrupting public peace and harmony between two religious groups.

In the clip, the elderly man identified as Abdul Shamad Saifi was heard saying he was thrashed by some young men and asked to chant “Jai Shri Ram” but the Ghaziabad Police ruled the communal angle saying those accused of beating Saifi were unhappy about a ‘taweez’ (amulet) that he had sold to them promising good luck.