Vishal Dadlani gets anticipatory bail in Jain monk defamation case

A court on Saturday granted anticipatory bail to music composer Vishal Dadlani in connection with a case registered against him by Haryana Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his sarcastic tweet on Jain monk Tarun Sagar. District and Sessions Judge Deepak Gupta granted the bail setting certain conditions.

Dadlani had filed for anticipatory bail on September 17. "It is directed that in the event of arrest of the petitioner-accused, he be released on bail on furnishing bail bond in the sum of Rs 50,000 with a surety in the like amount to the satisfaction of the arresting officer, as and when he is sought to be arrested," the court observed.

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"This bail is subject to condition that he shall join the investigation as and when required by investigating officer and that he shall not leave India without permission of the court and will not make any attempt to influence the investigation," it further ruled. The public prosecutor submitted that since the petitioner had not cooperated with the investigation agency by not getting the recovery of the device effected from which he sent the tweet, so his anticipatory bail petition be dismissed.

Counsel for Dadlani, however, pleaded that at no stage he has ever denied posting of the alleged objectionable tweets and therefore, non recovery of the device is immaterial. On September 21, Dadlani had met Sagar in Chandigarh and apologised to him in person for his tweet on the spiritual figure that had kicked up a storm.

Ambala Cantt Police had registered a case recently against Dadlani and one more person under relevant sections including 153A (promoting enmity between classes), 295A (maliciously insulting the religion or religious beliefs of any class) and 509 IPC (uttering any word or making any gesture to insult the modesty of a woman etc).

The case was registered on the complaint filed by Punit Arora, a resident of Ambala Cantonment and he is stated to be a follower of Jain monk. Dadlani came under sharp criticism from several quarters including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his tweet. After a barrage of criticism, he had tendered an apology for his tweet and also deleted it. The Jain monk had delivered a lecture 'Kadve Pravachan' at Haryana Assembly last month on the invitation of the state government.