A city court on Saturday granted bail to a Delhi University professor who was arrested yesterday for his alleged objectionable social media post on the claims of a 'Shivling' at Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.
Ratan Lal, an assistant professor at the Hindu College, was granted bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of like amount.
"The feeling of hurt felt by an individual cannot represent the entire group or community and any such complaint regarding hurt feelings has to be seen in its context considering the entire spectrum of facts/circumstances," the court said in its order.
The court, however, directed Lal to refrain from posting any comment or interview about the controversy on social media. The act of the accused was avoidable considering the sensibilities of persons around the accused and the public at large, it observed.
“However, the post, though reprehensible, does not indicate an attempt to promote hatred between communities," the order further said.
Lal was arrested on Friday night under Indian Penal Code sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate act to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion) by the Cyber Police Station, North.
The arrest followed a complaint filed by advocate Vineet Jindal who alleged that Lal had shared a "derogatory, inciting and provocating tweet on the Shivling" on Twitter.
