High Court Grants Bail in Varanasi Ganga Iftar Controversy

The Allahabad High Court on Friday granted bail to a group of men who were embroiled in a controversy for allegedly consuming non-vegetarian food during an iftar party held on a boat in the Ganga at Varanasi. The men were accused of subsequently dumping the leftover waste into the river.

Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla, who presided over the case, passed the ruling while deliberating on the bail plea put forth by the accused. The court has fixed May 18 for subsequent hearings related to other accused individuals connected to the case. The matter was initially brought up after the BJP Yuva Morcha's Varanasi chapter filed a complaint on behalf of its president, Rajat Jaiswal.

The initial charges, rooted in an FIR lodged on March 16, claimed that the incident caused religious offence to Hindus. The accused allegedly broke their Ramzan fast on the boat on March 15, partook of meat, and polluted the 'holy' river. The allegations encompass violations of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, including defiling a place of worship and outraging religious sentiments. Prior to the high court's intervention, a Varanasi sessions court denied bail on grounds of potential intent to disrupt social harmony.

(With inputs from agencies.)