The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), on August 16, secured bail for three individuals in Jharkhand High Court, who were arrested in connection with a protest that was held on June 10, 2022, in Ranchi.
The protest was a reaction to a BJP’s spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who made derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad on a television show. Similar protests were held nationwide. Following a massive outcry by Muslims, Nupur was suspended from the party later
During the protest, violence broke out between police and protesters, in which 2 people were killed and 8–10 people were injured in alleged police firing. In this incident, nearly 35 people were arrested and sent to jail. Reportedly, nearly 10,000 FIRs were registered by the Police.
The Jharkhand Police registered a case under Sections 147, 148, 149, 341, 353, 295A, 153A, 504, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code in FIR at the Daily Market police station.
The Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) is providing legal advocacy for these and other protesters’ cases and has secured bail in 15 cases.
After hearing the case of APCR Jharkhand President Advocate Mukhtar Khan and Advocate Talat Parveen, who represented the individuals, Justice Rajesh Shankar in the High Court of Jharkhand ordered bail for Ayub Raja Khan, Shahid Akhtar and Mohammad Shahzad.
APCR Jharkhand State Secretary Ziaullah said, “APCR will continue its efforts to provide justice to the innocent, weak and oppressed.”
General Secretary Nadeem Khan affirmed, “The Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) will continue to provide free legal aid so that the rule of law is upheld. We hope that hundreds of other cases pending in various courts in India will be heard and basic rights are ensured to the innocent in the same way.”
“The APCR firmly believes that every accused is innocent until proven guilty and that “bail is the rule, prison is the exception,” as The Supreme Court of India in judgment in Rajasthan and also said this in the Bal Chand case,” concluded Zia Ullah.
