Allahabad High Court Seeks UP Govt Reply on Bail Pleas of Youths Accused of Holding Iftar on Ganga in Varanasi
By Rajesh Pandey
The Allahabad High Court has sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government on the bail applications filed by three youths accused of organising an Iftar gathering on a boat in the holy river Ganga at Varanasi and allegedly consuming non-vegetarian food before throwing leftovers, including bones, into the river.
Hearing the bail pleas of Danish Saifi, Noor Islam, and Amir Kaifi, Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha, in an order dated April 17, granted one week to the State to file its counter affidavit.
The matter has now been listed for further hearing on April 24.
During the proceedings, counsel for the accused, advocate Mohd Waseem, submitted that the youths have been falsely implicated and that the allegations against them are exaggerated.
He argued that the prosecution’s narrative does not reflect the true circumstances of the incident and urged the court to consider granting bail.
Opposing the plea, Additional Government Advocate Uma Shanker Mishra requested time to place the State’s response on record through a counter affidavit, indicating that the prosecution intends to contest the bail request on merits.
The case stems from an FIR lodged on March 16 at Kotwali Police Station, Varanasi, on the complaint of Rajat Jaiswal, identified as president of the BJP Yuva Morcha local unit.
According to the complaint, the accused had organised an Iftar gathering on March 15 on a boat in the Ganga during the holy month of Ramzan, where they allegedly consumed non-vegetarian food and disposed of food waste into the river.
The complainant claimed that such acts hurt the religious sentiments of a section of society.
Following the complaint, police arrested the three youths and invoked multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections relating to defiling a place of worship, outraging religious feelings, and later adding allegations of extortion. Beforeo approaching the High Court, the accused had moved the sessions court in Varanasi seeking bail.
However, their plea was rejected on April 1, with the court observing that the alleged conduct appeared to have the potential to disturb communal harmony.
The matter has now reached the High Court, where the bench has allowed the State to formally respond to the allegations raised in the bail plea.
The Court’s order reflects a procedural step to ensure that both sides are heard before any determination is made on the question of bail.
The case has drawn attention due to the sensitivities associated with the Ganga, regarded as sacred by millions, and the broader questions it raises about religious practices, public order, and criminal liability.
The High Court is expected to consider the State’s response on April 24, when the matter will be taken up for further hearing.
( The Image is AI Generated Not Real)
