Freedom of Speech and Expression is not Absolute, Allahabad High Court Rejects Mohammad Nadeem?s Anticipatory Bail Plea

Noting that Freedom of Speech and Expression is not absolute, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Mohammad Nadeem Monday.

Nadeem has been accused of promoting enmity between communities by spreading propaganda about Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He has been booked under Section 153-A IPC for “propagating that since the foundation laying ceremony of Temple at Ayodhya is being done at the land of mosque, therefore, every Muslim has to come forward to protect the site of Babri Maszid”.

Earlier, the anticipatory bail plea of Nadeem was rejected by the district court in Barabanki.

The bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh observed “The fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression in a secular State is not an absolute license to injure and hurt the religious feelings and faiths and beliefs of fellow citizens.”

Nadeem had submitted in the court that he “is a member of PFI, aim and object of which is to promote education amongst poor children and also to work for uplifting the poor people of the society.”

The Popular Front of India (PFI), a radical Islamist organisation, members have been found to be involved in many terror activities.