Rajasthan HC Stays Arrest Of Baba Ramdev For Allegedly Hurting Religious Sentiments, Directs Him To Appear For Interrogation

The Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur Bench has ordered a stay on the arrest of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev with regard to an FIR registered against him for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Muslim community. However, the Court has directed him to appear before the Investigating Officer for interrogation on or before May 20, 2023.

As per the FIR, Baba Ramdev was alleged to have hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim community.

A Single Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Garg said, “Learned Public Prosecutor accepts notice on behalf of the respondent No.1-State. Let notice be issued to respondent No.2 only, returnable in the month of July, 2023. In the meanwhile, the petitioner shall not be arrested in connection with FIR No.0030/2023, P.S. Chohatan, Distt. Barmer. However, the petitioner is directed to appear before the Investigating Officer for interrogation on or before 20th May, 2023.”

Senior Advocate Vivek Raj Bajwa appeared for the petitioner i.e., Baba Ramdev while Public Prosecutor Mool Singh Bhati appeared for the respondents.

In this case, an FIR was filed against the petitioner at Chauhtan Police Station, Barmer on February 5, 2023, by a person named Pathai Khan for his remarks against Muslims at a religious event in Barmer on February 2, 2023. The FIR claims that the petitioner had made his remarks deliberately so that a spirit of animosity and hatred is formed against Islam.

The petitioner while addressing an event was comparing Hinduism with Islam and said that Islam meant reciting Namaz and then doing anything like becoming a terrorist or even abducting Hindu girls. "Ask any Muslim what does his religion say? He will tell you that you offer Namaz five times and then do whatever you like - be it abducting a Hindu woman or committing any evil," he said.

The FIR says that such an open statement made by Baba Ramdev in front of thousands of people has hurt the sentiments of the believers of Islam religion and that he has said the same intentionally to spread hatred against the Muslim community. It further claims that there is no place for terrorism in Islam and that it promotes brotherhood and love among people.

As per the complainant, such an incident has been reported in various newspapers and social media platforms as a result of which crores of people have seen, read, or listened to the same.

Cause Title- Swami Ramdev @ Baba Ramdev @ Ramkishan Yadav v. State of Rajasthan & Anr.

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