Bail Granted to Minority Leader Amid Allegations of Inciting Violence

Mohammad Hamid Mohammad Hanif, president of Minorities Democratic Party, has been granted bail after being arrested for allegedly inciting violence in Nagpur. Hanif was accused of instigating riots through social media messages. The court deemed his custody unnecessary as the investigation is almost complete and stringent bail conditions mitigate risks.

The sessions court in Nagpur has granted bail to Mohammad Hamid Mohammad Hanif, the president of the Minorities Democratic Party, who was arrested for allegedly inciting violence last month. The arrest followed large-scale unrest on March 17, when rumors spread about a 'chadar' with religious inscriptions being desecrated during protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Hanif, detained on March 19 by the cyber police, faced accusations of orchestrating the violence and spreading instigating posts on social media. However, the court, led by Additional Sessions Judge M. B. Oza, highlighted that bail is typically the norm, with jail being the exception. He emphasized Hanif's age and permanent residency, stating that his extended detention served no real purpose.

Despite opposition from the prosecution, which claimed Hanif might tamper with evidence or abscond, the court ruled that stringent conditions could mitigate such risks. Hanif, who insists on his innocence, had claimed the violence resulted from the actions of activists from opposing groups, not his social media post.

(With inputs from agencies.)