Indore law college book row: SC protects principal Dr Rahman from arrest
Dec 16, 2022
New Delhi [India], December 16 : The Supreme Court on Friday granted protection from arrest to Indore's Government New Law College Principal and professor Dr Inamur Rahman seeking bail in a case against him for allegedly promoting enmity and hatred.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha granted relief from arrest to Dr Rahman for three weeks and posted the matter for hearing in January.
The case was mentioned in the morning for urgent hearing before CJI and he agreed to hear it today itself.
Bhawarkuwan police booked Dr Rahman along with Dr Mirza Mozia, Dr Farhat Khan author of a book on 'Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System' and its publisher on December 2 based on a complaint for alleged objectionable content in its.
The allegation against Dr Rahman was that the book is available with the library of New Government Law College, and he being the principal of that college trying to spread hatred through this book.
Dr Rahman moved the apex court through advocate Aljo K Joseph challenging the order passed by the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court refusing to grant anticipatory bail to him on December 15. He said he was wrongly implicated in the case.
Dr Rahman is the principal of Government Law college and also the Dean and Chairman of Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidhyalaya, Indore, whereby an FIR was registered against him at Bhawarkuan police station.
The police registered a case against the accused under sections, 153a, 153b, 295a, 500, 504, 505, 505(2) 34 of IPC for defamation, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration and others.
The complaint stated that the content of the book titled as "Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System", written by Dr Farhat Khan and published by Amar Law Publication, are based upon false and baseless facts, anti-national, intended to harm the public peace, the integrity of the nation, and religious cordiality.
Dr Rahman said he was innocent as he assumed the charge of the post in 2019 whereas the controversial book was bought in 2014.
On December 3, he issued an order to the librarian regarding the book and directed to remove the book from the library and keep the same in safe custody.
