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The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition to quash the FIR filed against Delhi University Professor, Ratan Lal, for a controversial social media post about the Gyanvapi Mosque.
In 2022, Professor Lal shared a post on social media platforms commenting on a structure resembling a Shiva Linga discovered at the mosque. The bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh in an order passed stated, "This Court is of the view that prima facie, the petitioner has created a disturbance of the harmony of the society and this Court has also found that the said tweet, post were made to hurt the sentiments of a large number of the society and no person being a Professor, Teacher, or an intellectual has the right to make such type of comments, tweets or posts as the freedom of speech and expression or any type of freedom is not absolute." The petitioner, Professor Ratan Lal approached the court and sought the quashing of an FIR registered against him based on his social media post regarding the Gyanvapi Mosque. According to the plea, the complainant, Shiwal Bhalla, filed a complaint that led to the registration of the FIR on May 18, 2022, under Sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, at the Cyber Police Station, Maurice Nagar, Delhi. The petitioner was arrested in connection with the FIR on May 20, 2022, and was granted regular bail by the concerned court on May 21, 2022. In the meantime, the petitioner applied for a UK visa but was informed by the British High Commission that police verification was required. Subsequently, his visa application was rejected. Furthermore, the petitioner claims that on July 7, 2023, his promotion to the position of Professor was put on hold by the Principal, citing the ongoing FIR as the reason. Aggrieved by these developments, the petitioner has filed this petition seeking the quashing of the FIR, noted the court. (ANI)
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