The Delhi High Court on Tuesday provided interim relief from arrest to social rights activist Nadeem Khan on Tuesday.
Khan, who is charged by the Delhi Police with promoting enmity and criminal conspiracy, faces these allegations following the viral circulation of a video that allegedly incited communal disharmony.
Justice Jasmeet Singh, presiding over the case, granted Khan, the National Secretary of the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), protection from arrest until Friday. While issuing this order, the court stated that the country’s harmony is not so fragile that it can be easily disrupted by the actions of individuals.
The court further instructed Khan to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation and appear for questioning the following day. It also placed a restriction on him, stating that he must not leave Delhi without the permission of the Investigating Officer.
The interim relief came in response to petitions filed by Khan and the APCR, seeking to quash the FIR filed by the Delhi Police. The FIR alleges that Khan’s video, posted on social media, caused unrest and stirred tensions between local communities.
The police contend that the video, which prominently features figures such as Nadeem Khan, Akhlaq, Rohit Vemula, Pehlu Khan, and references the 2020 CAA/NRC protests and the Delhi riots, aims to incite communal discord.
The video, which runs for approximately two and a half minutes, reportedly includes footage of an individual at an exhibition stall, highlighting specific incidents and political figures in a manner that allegedly promotes hatred. The Delhi Police assert that the video portrays a particular community as victims and tries to stir resentment, ultimately disrupting national communal harmony.
The case has sparked significant attention, as the video also included images of various politicians and media figures, accusing them of inciting hatred.
The FIR claims the video attempts to frame a specific community as the victims of violence and unrest, further fueling tensions in the nation.
