Comedian Munawar Faruqui was arrested in Indore on January 1 following a complaint by Eklavya Singh Gaur, the son of BJP MLA Malini Singh Gaur, that the comedian allegedly hurt Hindu religious sentiments during a comedy show.
However, on Friday, the supreme court has granted interim bail to standup comic Munawar Faruqui. Earlier, Munawar Faruqui had challenged the Madhya Pradesh High Court order which had rejected his bail application on January 28. He had even filed a writ petition as well as a Special Leave to Appeal (SLP), and both were heard by a bench of Justices R F Nariman and B R Gavai.
“The evidence/material collected so far suggest that in an organised public show under the garb of standup comedy at a public place on commercial lines, prima facie; scurrilous, disparaging utterances, outraging religious feelings of a class of citizens of India with deliberate intendment were made by the applicants”, HC SAID.
“There is also a specific assertion by the learned counsel for the complainant that the applicant along with other co-accused persons allegedly making outraging filthy jokes in social media deliberately against Hindu Gods, Lord Shri Ram and Goddess Sita hurting religious sentiments of Hindus for the last 18 months despite, protest on various social media platforms. There is nothing on record to the contrary.”
After the news of Munawar’s bail was out in public, Twitter had a lot to say:
Don’t think it’s enough or justice that #MunawarFaruqui has got bail. Not only must the cases against him be quashed but the strictest action should be taken against the cops who filed the fraud cases. That’s what a fair nation would do.
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) February 5, 2021
#MunawarFaruqui granted interim bail. Protection from arrest in UP FIR.
As I said, it was a good case on law and facts before a Judge who mostly only cares about law and facts.— Anas Tanwir (बुकरात वकील) (@Vakeel_Sb) February 5, 2021
#MunawarFaruqui spent 36 days in jail, appealed multiple times to various courts, was denied every time, on a point of law so straightforward that the Supreme Court took less than 10 minutes to grant him bail. What an indictment of those courts. And congratulations @KirpalSaurabh https://t.co/Jmxbuzg3CG
— Kranti Saran (@KrantiSaran) February 5, 2021
In Justice Nariman’s court, #MunawarFaruqui, who should never have been arrested in the first place, finally sees a glimmer of justice. https://t.co/YVtuIlowJn
— Nilanjana Roy (@nilanjanaroy) February 5, 2021
SC releases comedian Munawar Faruqui on ad-interim bail. Issues notice to Madhya Pradesh govt.
Acknowledges Faruqui’s argument that allegations are vague.
Notes arrest did not follow procedure u/s 41 CrPC (arrest without warrant)
Also stays production warrant issued UP govt
— Krishnadas Rajagopal (@kdrajagopal) February 5, 2021
I am hoping we will see #SupremeCourtofIndia trending on Twitter along with #MunawarFaruqui 🙏🏽 https://t.co/jjSidqy7pe
— Kubbra Sait (@KubbraSait) February 4, 2021
India’s top court grants interim bail to #MunawarFaruqui after it was denied by the MP High Court.Justice Nariman also stays production warrant issued by UP Police.Notice issued to MP asking if Sec 41 of CRPC was followed.The judiciary stepping in where the state has failed
— sonia singh (@soniandtv) February 5, 2021
Hope they’ve not stolen his youthful beliefs and laughter. #MunawarFaruqui ❤️❤️❤️🔥
We stand with you. You are not alone. https://t.co/7JqHmI1eZI— BG 🔥 #SouthernCollective (@joBeeGeorgeous) February 5, 2021
So #MunawarFaruqui got bail….but my question is…if SC granted him bail in one go then why MP HC kept rejecting it till now? Bcs of his name? Or bcs of what he didn’t say in the first place? Can someone answer?
— Divya Tripathi (@DivyaTr38157963) February 5, 2021
Finally Munawar gets interim bail from crime which he never committed #MunawarFaruqui pic.twitter.com/8ByyWWbhK4
— prashantsaphalya (@saphyyy) February 5, 2021
Bhakts and Chaddis after SC granted bail to #MunawarFaruqui pic.twitter.com/mvlwXGhYd2
— Halkat Memer (@HalkatMemer69) February 5, 2021
Lawyers, judges, journalists, comics just doing their jobs right. That’s enough to see us through.#MunawarFaruqui
— Kabir Dixit (@KabirDixit1) February 5, 2021
After doing enough stand ups and sit downs in jail , #MunawarFaruqui will now come out and perform a stand up at the Singhu border
— Anoop (@AnoopChathoth) February 5, 2021
As we rejoice #freedom for #MunawarFaruqui, wonder what his case says about #Judiciary in #NewIndia !!
If you are in #Jail for over a month n need to go to the #SupremeCourt to get interim bail, what does it say about our system ? That too for jokes that were never cracked ?! https://t.co/hxOYeyrq6q
— rajan mahan (@rajanmahan) February 5, 2021
#MunawarFaruqui was arrested with four other people.
they have been missing from the headlines like the laughter from Munawwar’s jokes.
they also didn’t get to approach SC or get bail because they don’t have proper identity card to participate in game of oppression Olympics!!
— An Open Letter 😷 (@AnOpenLetter001) February 5, 2021
#MunawarFaruqui was arrested for a joke he didn’t crack as admitted by the cops. Bail is great, but there must be strict action against the police for misusing the law by arbitrarily arresting him. There must be consequences for keeping a person arrested for a month for no crime.
— Hasiba | حسيبة 🌈 (@HasibaAmin) February 5, 2021
