Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was released from Indore central jail late night on Saturday, a day after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in a case registered against him in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
The delay caused in releasing the stnad-up comedianwas allegedly due to prison officials citing a warrant issued by a Prayagraj court against Faruqui. Arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, Faruqui was in Indore jail since January 1.
After release, Faruqui, 32, walked out of the jail and left for his home with his cousin brother Zaid Pathan and an advocate friend.
Faruqui has been released after Indore central jail officials received a certified copy of Supreme Court's order, additional superintendent of Indore Central jail.LKS Bhadoriya said.
Faruqui’s advocate Anshuman Srivastava said, “We handed over the certified copy of Supreme Court order to jail authorities late evening on Saturday which led to his release.”
On Friday, the top court had granted him interim bail after the Madhya Pradesh High Court had rejected his bail plea on January 28. The Apex court also stayed the production warrant issued against Faruqui by a court in Prayagraj in connection with an FIR lodged there.
Faruqui's lawyers on Saturday submitted a copy of the SC order in the local court, which then directed that he be released on a bond of ₹50,000 and same amount of security.
{{/usCountry}}Faruqui's lawyers on Saturday submitted a copy of the SC order in the local court, which then directed that he be released on a bond of ₹50,000 and same amount of security.
{{/usCountry}}But he was not released. Asked for the reason, an official of the Indore Central Jail said a court in Prayagraj had ordered Faruqui's production in a similar case on February 18.
Prison officias had cited the jail manual on Saturday noon and said an order from the Prayagraj court or a competent government officer was needed to release him.
In the absence of the requisite order, the comedian would have be taken to Prayagraj on Sunday morning, jail officials had said.
Faruqui and four others were arrested on January 1 following a complaint by a BJP MLA's son that objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were passed during a comedy show at a cafe in Indore on New Year's day.