Allahabad HC makes observation on Ganga sanctity
The court said throwing non-veg leftovers into the river could hurt Hindu sentiments
The Allahabad High Court has observed that throwing non-vegetarian food waste into the river Ganga could hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus, while granting bail to eight accused in a case linked to an iftar gathering on a boat in Varanasi.
Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla, while hearing the bail plea of five accused, noted that the applicants had expressed regret over the incident and apologised for the distress caused.
“The applicants are apologetic for their actions and even their families also regret the pain that had been caused to the society at large,” the court observed.
Court says act could hurt Hindu sentiments
According to the prosecution, members of the Muslim community had organised an iftar gathering on a boat in the Ganga during Ramzan, where non-vegetarian food was allegedly consumed and leftovers thrown into the river.
The court said such actions could naturally hurt religious feelings associated with the sacred river.
“During the said Iftar party, while partaking of food, non-vegetarian food is said to have been consumed by the members of the Muslim community, who are then alleged to have thrown the remains into the River Ganges. This fact in the dispassionate opinion of the Court could rightly be said to hurt religious sentiments of the Hindu community,” the order stated.
Bail granted after apology and clean record
The accused — Mohammad Azad Ali, Mohammad Tahseem, Nihal Afridi, Mohammad Tauseef Ahmad and Mohammad Anas — had been in jail since March 17, 2026.
While granting bail, the High Court took note of the fact that the accused had no prior criminal record and had assured the court that such an act would never be repeated.
“Taking note of the entire facts and circumstances of the case, the lack of criminal antecedents of the applicants, the period of detention already undergone and also the apology expressed, as recorded above, prima facie a case for bail is made out,” Justice Shukla observed in the May 15 order.
In a related order passed the same day, Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha also granted bail to three other accused — Mohammad Sameer, Mohammad Ahmad Raza and Mohammad Faizan.
BJP Yuva Morcha leader filed complaint
The FIR in the matter was registered on March 16 following a complaint by Rajat Jaiswal, president of the BJP Yuva Morcha’s Varanasi unit.
According to the complaint, the accused had broken their Ramzan fast aboard a boat in the Ganga, consumed meat and later disposed of leftovers into the holy river, hurting Hindu sentiments.
The accused were booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to defiling a place of worship and outraging religious feelings.
Earlier, on April 1, a sessions court in Varanasi had rejected their bail pleas, observing that the alleged actions appeared intended to Ganga iftar case: Court says act may disturb religious harmony.
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