Salute flag, chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai': MP HC conditions for bail to accused

Bhopal, Oct 16 (IANS) The Jabalpur bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted bail to an accused for chanting anti-national slogans on the condition that he will salute the national flag and chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ 21 times, twice a month.

Hearing the bail application of accused Faizal Khan alias Faizan, Justice Dinesh Kumal Paliwal said, "Till the trial of the case is underway, the accused (Faizal Khan) will have to visit at Misrod Police Station in Bhopal on every 1st and 4th Tuesday of the month and salute the national flag at the police station building."

Justice Paliwal also ordered that Faizal Khan will have to raise the slogan - ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ 21 times. “Aforesaid condition has to be necessarily incorporated in bail papers. He shall also abide by all the conditions enumerated under Section 437(3) of Cr.P.C.,” the court order issued on Tuesday stated.

Meanwhile, the court has also directed the Bhopal Police Commissioner to ensure compliance with this condition for bail.

Notably, Faizal Khan, a resident of Raisen district, was arrested by Madhya Pradesh in May this year for allegedly raising anti-national slogans - 'Pakistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad’ in Bhopal.

Faizal moved the high court seeking bail claiming that he had been falsely implicated in the case. However, during the hearing, his counsel accepted that his client was seen shouting the anti-national slogan. Therefore, the advocate requested he should be released on bail by imposing some stringent conditions.

The prosecution lawyer opposed the bail plea saying that he is a habitual offender and 14 criminal cases are registered against him. The state counsel said that in the video, he could be seen openly shouting slogans against the country in which he was born and brought up.

After hearing the argument, Justice Paliwal noted that undoubtedly, the applicant has a criminal background of 13 criminal cases and in the video, he is seen shouting the slogan as aforementioned.

"I am of the view that applicant may be released on bail by imposing some conditions which may enthuse in him the sense of responsibility and a pride for the country in which he is born and living," Justice Paliwal said.

--IANS

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