Supreme Court extends interim anticipatory bail to Assam poet Rakib Uddin Ahmed over controversial poem involving Hindu deities. Case raises national debate on religious sentiments and freedom of expression.
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NEW DELHI: Yesterday(on 15th March), The Supreme Court of India extended interim anticipatory bail to Rakib Uddin Ahmed, a Muslim poet from Assam embroiled in controversy for allegedly posting an obscene poem concerning Hindu deities Lord Ram and Sita.
A bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and SVN Bhatti conducted an ex-parte hearing to delve into the intricacies of the case.
The interim directive issued by the bench stipulates:
“In the meantime, the petitioner shall not be arrested subject to the condition that he shall co-operate with the investigation.”
This order came as a relief to Ahmed, who has been under significant pressure since the allegations surfaced.
On 22nd February order by the Gauhati High Court, which denied Ahmed anticipatory bail. The poet faced accusations of not only crafting the controversial poem but also of disguising his identity online to disseminate the piece.
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The criminal complaint against Ahmed outlined severe charges, including impersonation, promoting religious enmity, and outraging religious sentiments. The High Court, in its deliberations, pointed out that the police had amassed substantial evidence that could necessitate custodial interrogation of the poet. The court also expressed concerns over the potential influence Ahmed could wield over witnesses and the likelihood of evidence tampering.
The High Court stated that:
“It cannot be said that the said poem has not influenced any enmity and hatred between different groups on the ground of religion … the applicant has been absconding since the date of occurrence to avoid arrest by police.”
Despite these allegations, the Supreme Court took a different path after reviewing a public apology issued by Ahmed. The apex court’s decision to issue a notice in the matter and grant interim protection against arrest adds a new layer to this unfolding legal narrative.
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Representing Ahmed, a team of advocates including Shahrukh Alam, Akriti Chaubey, Shantanu Singh, and Sadhana Madhavan, presented their arguments, emphasizing the complexities surrounding freedom of expression and the impact of social media on public discourse.
