The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to eight individuals accused in the Varanasi 'Ganga Boat Iftar' case. The case involves allegations that a group of men held an iftar gathering on a boat on the Ganga River, consumed non-vegetarian food, specifically chicken biryani, and disposed of the waste into the river, according to a report by LiveLaw.
Background of the Incident
The controversy erupted in March after videos of the alleged gathering surfaced on social media. A complaint was filed by Rajat Jaiswal, the district president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, who claimed that the group had hurt Hindu religious sentiments and polluted the holy river. Following the FIR, police arrested 14 men on March 17 and invoked multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to promoting enmity, defiling a place of worship, public nuisance, extortion, and pollution-related offences under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
Previous Bail Denials
Earlier, courts in Varanasi had denied bail to the accused on two occasions. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court first rejected bail, followed by the sessions court on April 1. Both courts observed that the allegations were serious and that the incident appeared prima facie capable of disturbing communal harmony. The sessions court further noted that sharing videos of the alleged act on social media increased the gravity of the offence.
Arguments in High Court
During hearings before the High Court, the counsel for the accused argued that the men had been falsely implicated and that the case had been exaggerated due to communal sensitivities. The defence also contended that the allegations did not justify their prolonged incarceration. The High Court, after considering the submissions, granted bail to eight of the accused.
Public Debate
The case sparked wider public debate over selective policing, environmental concerns, and religious sensitivities surrounding activities on the Ganga. Social media discussions questioned whether similar acts involving pollution of the river by others received comparable legal scrutiny. The incident highlighted tensions between religious practices and environmental regulations in the region.
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