Madhya Pradesh High Court: In an application filed by applicant, Guest Faculty at Government Model College, Dindori, under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) seeking regular bail in connection with FIR for circulation of certain posts and a video titled ‘Naya Ravan’ in a WhatsApp group, allegedly to hurt religious sentiments, a single-judge bench of Avanindra Kumar Singh, J., granted bail.
In the instant matter, the FIR alleges the commission of offences punishable under Sections 196, 299, and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS). The applicant was arrested on 28-04-2025 and her application for bail was rejected by the trial Court on 30-04-2025.
The applicant contended that the applicant is an educated woman and had no intention to hurt religious sentiments of any community. It was urged that the messages shared were not meant to incite communal disharmony and that her continued incarceration was unwarranted and placed reliance on the Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar, (2014) 8 SCC 273 and State of Kerala v. Raneef, (2011) 1 SCC 784.
On the other hand, the State opposed the bail application and asserted that the applicant had deliberately forwarded messages and a video to provoke communal sentiments and to hurt religious sentiments. However, it was fairly conceded that no prior offence had been recorded against the applicant.
The Court, after perusing the case diary and hearing both sides, noted that “prima facie at the outset it can very safely be said that an educated person and persons, who are holding post of Guest Faculty in the College had greater responsibility to forward WhatsApp messages,” however, “simply on the ground of forwarding messages, video which may hurt the religious sentiment of community, a person cannot be indefinitely kept in jail.”
Given that the applicant has been in custody since 28-04-2025 and considering the overall circumstances, the Court found it appropriate to grant bail. The Court directed that the applicant be released on furnishing a personal bond of ₹50,000/- with one solvent surety of like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court.
Further, the Court directed the applicant to comply with the conditions stipulated under Section 480(3) of the BNSS, namely —
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To abide by the conditions of the bond executed.
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Not to commit any offence similar to the alleged offence.
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Not to make any inducement, threat, or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or police or tamper with evidence.
[Nasheem Bano v. State of M.P., M.Cr.C. No. 20228 of 2025, Decided on 12-06-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
Shri Manish Datt, Senior Advocate with Shri Eshaan Dat, Counsel for the Applicant
Shri Ravindra Shukla, Govt. Advocate, Counsel for the Respondent/State