[Hinduphobic book in Library] SC grants anticipatory bail to Law college Professor

The Supreme Court yesterday granted anticipatory bail to Mirza Moziz Beg, an assistant professor at Indore’s Government Law College who has been embroiled in allegations of promoting Hinduphobia.

"This Court, while directing notice to the respondents on 03.02.2023, had taken into consideration all aspects of the matter and had granted interim protection against arrest of the petitioner. Though, the learned counsel for the respondent contends that the grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner would not be justified, we are convinced that the petitioner is entitled to interim protection. Hence, the interim protection granted to the petitioner on 03.02.2023 is made absolute which shall ensure to the benefit of the petitioner till the completion of the process", a bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta has ordered.

In December last year, the Supreme Court had stayed the arrest of the Principal at New Government Law College, namely, Professor Inamur Rehman.

Notably, protests were held by the ABVP since the beginning of this month over what the students claimed to be a “Hinduphobic” book in the library of the Law College in Indore.

The police case involves two books written titled ‘Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System’ and ‘Women and Criminal Law’ where one of them contains a passage examining the Hindu society’s treatment of women, with the claim that Hindu women were instruments of lust fulfillment in a male-dominated world and that scriptures revealed how they were subservient to men.

Said books have been authored by Dr. Farhat Khan.

Following the protests, Professor Rehman and others were suspended with immediate effect.

The state government had also launched an investigation into the allegations.

Case Title: MIRZA MOZIZ BEG vs. STATE OF M.P.