Munawar Faruqui released from Indore central jail on late Saturday night

The delay caused in releasing the stnad-up comedian was allegedly due to prison officials citing a warrant issued by a Prayagraj court against Faruqui.

Published on: Feb 7, 2021, 01:44:05 IST

By Shruti Tomar | Edited by Arpan Rai, Bhopal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

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.

Arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, Faruqui was in Indore jail since January 1. (Photo: Twitter/ @munawar0018)

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.

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.