Controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand Giri, also known as Yati Nargsinghanand Saraswati, was released from Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district jail on February 17, Scroll reported.
This came after district and sessions judge Bharat Bhushan Pandey granted bail in the Haridwar hate speech case on February 7, and in the case pertaining to derogatory comments against women on February 15, it said.
Walking out of jail, Giri visited the Sarvanand Ghat in Haridwar where he resumed hunger strike demanding the release of Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, the former chair of Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board. He said his release was meaningless if Tyagi is still in jail, Scroll added.
Tyagi recently converted to Hinduism and changed his name from Wasim Rizvi. On January 13 he was the first person arrested in the hate speech case. Giri was arrested on January 15.
Derogatory remarks against women case
Bharat Bhushan Pandey of the Haridwar sessions court ordered Giri's release on February 14 overturning a January 19 judgment by the Haridwar chief judicial magistrate Mukesh Arya that denied bail, The Wire reported. Giri had been in judicial custody since January 16.
Giri faced wide condemnation after his comments went viral on social media. He was charged under IPC Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) after an FIR.
“Despite being issued a Section 41A CrPC notice [of appearance before a police officer] in the past, he (Giri) is repeatedly making comments to incite communal passions and spoiling harmony/atmosphere through social media and there is a strong possibility of serious crimes being committed in the area." Arya had said.
Haridwar Dharma Sansad case
During a religious conclave in Haridwar held from December 17 to 19, Giri and others called for violence against Muslims. Giri extorted Hindus to use weapons and undertake “economic boycott” of Muslims.
Giri had already secured bail in this case, Wire reported. He was charged under IPC Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).
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