The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed a criminal case against two individuals accused of chanting “Jai Shri Ram” inside a mosque.
The incident, reported to have occurred on September 24, 2023, led to charges of criminal trespass, intimidation, and offending religious sentiments under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The accused were booked under IPC Section 295A for “outraging religious feelings,” along with Sections 447 (criminal trespass), 505 (statements conducive to public mischief), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention), however, Justice M. Nagaprasanna, who presided over the single-judge bench, ruled that chanting “Jai Shri Ram” did not inherently harm religious sentiments or provoke communal discord.
The court stated, “Section 295A pertains to deliberate and malicious acts aimed at offending the religious sentiments of a community by insulting its religion or beliefs. It is incomprehensible how chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ would outrage the religious sentiments of any group. The complainant’s own statement about peaceful coexistence between Hindus and Muslims in the area negates the possibility of the incident leading to communal tension.”
The bench highlighted the complainant’s acknowledgment of communal harmony in the area, questioning the intent behind the accusations. Citing a Supreme Court ruling, the court emphasized that not every action should be categorized under Section 295A, which is meant for deliberate and malicious acts targeting religious feelings.
Ultimately, the bench concluded that continuing the case would be an “abuse of process of law” and dismissed all charges against the accused.