Man returns to India after 600 days in Saudi jail for FB post he didn’t make

Police arrested two men in October 2020, who revealed that they impersonated Harish Bangera on Facebook. Using the details of the investigation, Bangera’s family managed to get him released

An investigation by the Karnataka Police helped a man lodged in Saudi Arabia prison for over 600 days return home. Thirty-four-year-old Harish Bangera, an air-conditioning technician, was arrested on charges of blasphemy, on December 22, 2019, for making contemptuous remarks about Mecca and the king of Saudi Arabia on Facebook.

Harish Bangera arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Wednesday. (Photo: Harish Bangera)

A subsequent investigation by Karnataka Police revealed that the derogatory messages were posted by a fake account created by two men - Abdul Huyez and Abdul Thuyez - in Udupi district. Police arrested the two men in October 2020, who revealed that they impersonated Bangera on Facebook. Using the details of the investigation, Bangera’s family managed to get him released.

Bangera arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Talking to HT, he said that he was lodged in an “inquiry jail” and the efforts of people back home ensured that he was not sentenced. “I can’t thank enough those who helped secure my release. The Udupi Police’s report proved my innocence. They worked hard after releasing that I had been framed. If it wasn’t for Covid-19, I would have been released much earlier. All the documents were submitted, but the courts were closed due to Covid-19,” said Bangera.

He added that even though he was offered to continue working in Saudi Arabia, he wanted to return to his hometown. “The company was following the law. So, they asked me to surrender before the court. Once I was released, they said I could continue working since I was proven innocent, but I wanted to be with my family,” he added.

An investigation into the case began soon after Bangera was arrested in Saudi Arabia and his wife filed a police complaint claiming the Facebook account was fake, said Udupi Police. “Bangera wrote some posts on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which led to some issues. He later deleted the post and apologised. This fake post was retaliation for that incident. Once Facebook confirmed we were on the right track, we found the actual perpetrators. The case is under trial now,” said a senior official of the Dakshina Kannada Police.

The Udupi Police, through Director General and Inspector General of Police Praveen Sood and the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia, informed the Saudi Arabian government about the arrest and this resulted in his release, the official added.