“Why you are arresting him? A book is found in the library which is said to have some communal undertones. Therefore he is sought to be arrested. The book was purchased in 2014. And he is seeking to be arrested? Are you serious?”, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked Madhya Pradesh’s counsel intending to challenge the anticipatory bail granted to a law college principal in relation to a case registered over an alleged “Hinduphobic” book found in the library.
The Supreme Court on Monday was hearing a petition filed by the now-resigned principal of Indore’s Government New Law College, Dr Inamur Rahman, seeking protection from arrest in the case, LiveLaw reported.
In December last year, Inamur Rahman, along with the author of the alleged book, Dr Farhat Khan, the Amar book publications, and professor Mirza Mojiz Beg were booked under the charges of promoting enmity between two groups, responding to a complaint filed by an LLM student.
Soon as the controversy broke out, state home minister Narottam Mishra directed Indore Commissioner to probe the issue and file an FIR within 24 hours.
The petitioner claimed that the book in question was published in 2014 and purchased by the college the same year. He was only a professor in the college at that time.
Rahman resigned as the Principal after protests by the ABVP.
CJI’s comments came after State’s counsel requested the bench to record that the State is intending to challenge the High Court order granting anticipatory bail.
