Allahabad High Court Grants Bail in Ganga Iftar Pollution Case
The Allahabad High Court granted bail to eight of fourteen accused in the controversial "Ganga Iftar" case in Varanasi. The incident involved men disposing of non-vegetarian food waste into the holy River Ganga during Ramadan, sparking allegations of hurting Hindu religious sentiments and pollution. While acknowledging the act offended religious feelings, the court cited the accused’s remorse, lack of criminal history, and time served as grounds for release, overturning a lower court’s denial. Charges include defiling places of worship under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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Allahabad High Court Grants Bail in Ganga Biryani Case, Cites Hurt Religious Sentiments
The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to eight of the fourteen men arrested for throwing leftover chicken biryani into the River Ganges in Varanasi during Ramadan. Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla, while releasing five accused, noted that the act of disposing non-vegetarian food remains into the holy river could rightly be said to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The court acknowledged the genuine remorse expressed by the applicants and their families, noting that the accused did not deny their presence in the viral video. The men, all in their 20s, had spent nearly two months in jail facing charges including hurting religious sentiments, defiling a place of worship, promoting enmity, and extortion under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case originated from a viral video uploaded in March, which prompted a complaint by a local political youth wing leader. The court emphasized that while the act was offensive to religious feelings, the lack of criminal antecedents and the period of detention already served warranted bail during the ongoing investigation and trial.
The Indian ExpressAllahabad High Court: Disposing Non-Veg Waste in Ganga Hurts Religious Sentiments
The Allahabad High Court granted bail to eight individuals accused of throwing non-vegetarian food waste into the River Ganga during an Iftar party in Varanasi. Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla observed that while the act could hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community, the applicants had expressed remorse and lacked criminal antecedents. The court noted their apology and the time already served in detention since March 2026 as grounds for bail. The incident occurred on March 15, when the accused, members of the Muslim community, allegedly consumed meat on a boat and discarded leftovers into the holy river. An FIR was filed by a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, leading to charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for defiling a place of worship and outraging religious feelings. A lower court had previously denied bail, citing intent to disturb social harmony, but the High Court overturned this, emphasizing the prima facie case for release based on the specific circumstances and the applicants' undertaking not to repeat the act.
NDTV News Search Records Found 1000Allahabad HC Grants Bail in Ganga Iftar Row, Notes Hurt Religious Sentiments
The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to eight individuals accused of throwing non-vegetarian food waste into the River Ganga during an iftar party in Varanasi. The incident, which occurred on March 15, 2026, sparked controversy after Rajat Jaiswal, president of the Varanasi chapter of the BJP Yuva Morcha, filed a complaint alleging that the act hurt Hindu religious sentiments. An FIR was subsequently lodged on March 16 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to defiling places of worship and outraging religious feelings. While granting bail, Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla observed that disposing of non-vegetarian leftovers in the holy river could indeed hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. However, the court considered the applicants' lack of criminal antecedents, the time already spent in detention, and their expressed remorse as grounds for release. The accused, who have been in jail since March 17, apologized for their actions and promised not to repeat such acts. This decision overturns a previous April 1 ruling by a Varanasi sessions court that had denied bail, citing intentions to disturb social harmony.
News Today: Breaking News, Top Headlines & Live Updates | The HinduAllahabad High Court Grants Bail to 8 Accused in Ganga Iftar Case
The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to eight of the fourteen accused individuals involved in the controversial 'Ganga Iftar row' case in May 2026. The incident originated from a viral video showing men breaking their fast with non-vegetarian food on a boat in the River Ganga in Varanasi, sparking allegations of hurting religious sentiments and polluting the water. The accused were initially charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. While lower courts had denied bail, the High Court benches led by Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla and Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha ruled in favor of the accused. The court acknowledged that the act could hurt Hindu religious sentiments but accepted the accused's 'genuine remorse' as stated in their affidavits. Furthermore, the judges found the additional charge of extortion to be suspicious and belatedly introduced. The defense argued the accused were poor weavers with no malicious intent. Bail petitions for the remaining six accused are still pending.
The QuintAllahabad High Court Grants Bail to Men Accused in Ganga Iftar Pollution Case
The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to a group of men arrested in connection with an incident in Varanasi where they were accused of breaking their Ramzan fast on a boat in the Ganga River. The controversy arose after Rajat Jaiswal, President of the Varanasi chapter of the BJP Yuva Morcha, filed a complaint alleging that the men ate meat and disposed of waste into the holy river on March 15, thereby hurting Hindu religious sentiments. The accused were subsequently booked under various provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections related to defiling places of worship and outraging religious feelings. While a sessions court had previously denied bail citing intentions to disturb social harmony, Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla approved the bail applications on May 15, 2026. The defense argued that the accused were falsely implicated and not originally named in the FIR. The court has scheduled further hearings for other accused individuals in the case for May 18. This ruling marks a significant development in a case that sparked communal tensions and debates over religious practices and environmental sanctity in Uttar Pradesh.
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