A Tamil Nadu court on Wednesday January 12th, granted bail to Aneesh Jasy who was arrested on December 29th 2021, for anti-Islamic posts on Facebook. Aneesh identified himself as a ex-Muslim rationalist. The Judge, R Sakthivel who heard the case, remarked, “The court is unable to find prima facie evidence that the petitioner is generating public disturbance. He has the right to voice his thoughts on religion and God’s existence under the Indian Constitution.”
Aneesh, who is from Coimbatore, was born into a Muslim Family but became an atheist and an independent thinker, due to his quest for self-consciousness, declaring himself as an ex-Muslim. He has written many rational and humanitarian posts on Facebook, in order to expose the wrongs, superstitions, anti-human philosophies and injustices to Women in Islam, and to reform the thinking of Muslims.
These posts gave rise to a lot of backlash and uproar from Muslim fundamentalists. He faced opposition and threatening from religious extremists for the posts he wrote and speeches he gave, as they were unable to respond religiously or logically. Islamic fundamentalists couldn’t attack him legally as he exposed the criticisms in Islam by giving evidences from hundreds of Islamic books.
On 29th December, the police arrived in his residence and questioned his neighbors, warning them against informing the same to Aneesh. On his arrival to his residence from work, the Police Officers decided to take him to the Police station without giving him any kind of explanation. His phone was also taken from him.
When his wife demanded answers for his arrest, the next day the Police Officers, who had already filed an FIR against him, said that he was arrested for sharing posts on Facebook that hurt the sentiments of Muslims and are also capable of inciting hatred and conflict between two religions. After assessing the posts, the rationalist had been charged under 295A (deliberate and malicious acts meant to outrage religious feelings), 153A1c (promoting enmity between different groups of religion, race place of birth etc.) and 505-2 (statement conducing to public mischief) by the Kuniyamuthur Police station.
On 30th Dec, he was produced at court, where the Judge sentenced him to prison. When his lawyers tried for a Bail, his hearing was pushed unnecessarily for 3 days, and was finally heard on 5th January, 2013. However, the judge denied his bail and sentenced him to prison.
The FIR says that nobody has filed a complaint against Aneesh, and that he was arrested by the police officials who found his social media content to be inciting violence and hatred between two religions. Aneesh has been in prison for an offence, that is quite baseless.
(With inputs from Opindia)
Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.