Hate speech case: Delhi HC grants bail to organiser of Jantar Mantar event

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted bail to Preet Singh, one of organisers of an event at Jantar Mantar where communal slogans were allegedly raised last month.

The petition is allowed. The petitioner has been granted bail, said Justice Mukta Gupta.

Singh, who was remanded to judicial custody on August 10 after his arrest, is accused of creating enmity between different groups and inciting the youth to propagate against a particular religion at a rally at Jantar Mantar here on August 8.

In his plea filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, Singh claimed that he was not involved in giving any inflammatory speech or raising any slogan against any person or community.

He asserted that the demand of establishing a Hindu nation did not attract Section 153A (hate speech) of the IPC and that he was not even present at the site at the time of sloganeering.

The Delhi Police had opposed Singh's plea for his release on bail.

On August 27, Additional Sessions Judge Anil Antil had refused bail to Singh, arrested by the Delhi Police in the case, saying right to assemble and freedom to air one's thoughts are cherished under the Constitution.

However, these are not absolute and have to be exercised with inherent reasonable restrictions.