Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui walks out of Indore Jail on Saturday night after call from SC judge
He was held for more than a month after his alleged "filthy and indecent jokes" about Hindu Gods and Goddesses, as well as Home Minister Amit Shah.
FollowIndore: In a late-night development, stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was released from jail in Indore on Saturday, 6 February after a delay of over 30-hour despite the Supreme Court granting him ad-interim bail on 5 February.
He was held for more than a month after his alleged "filthy and indecent jokes" about Hindu Gods and Goddesses, as well as Home Minister Amit Shah.
Earlier in the day, the authorities at Indore Central Jail had refused to release Faruqui, saying that they had not received any official order for the same, The Indian Express reported.
Shortly after his release, Faruqui told NDTV he had complete faith in the judiciary and refused to comment further. The comedian, then, left for Mumbai.
The administration’s move to stonewall the comedian’s release had left his lawyers bewildered and his family members — who were on vigil outside the prison — on tenterhooks. They spent all of Saturday waiting for the jail doors to open and Faruqui — who was arrested on New Year’s Day on allegations of hurting religious sentiments — to walk out.
In response to the Supreme Court order on Friday, Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishwas Sarang said, "Bail is a routine process, that doesn't mean he is innocent. Our police has not done anything wrong. Why should anyone be allowed to make fun of Hindu Gods and Goddesses?"
