‘Throwing Non-Veg Food in Ganga Could Hurt Religious Sentiments’: Allahabad High Court Grants Bail to 8 Men in Varanasi Ganga Iftar Row

The Allahabad High Court, while granting bail to eight of the fourteen men arrested in the Varanasi Ganga Iftar row, made significant observations about religious sentiments, social harmony, and the disruptive role of social media, noting that throwing non-vegetarian food in the Ganga could hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community.

In two separate bail orders passed on Friday, Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla granted bail to five of the accused while Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha granted bail to three. Justice Shukla has fixed May 18 for hearing the bail pleas of the remaining accused. Boat Iftar Turns Controversial in Varanasi, 14 Arrested for Throwing Non-Veg Food Into Ganga (Watch Video).

What the Court Said

Making pointed observations in its bail order, the court noted that "Disruption of religious harmony by the acts of a few may lead to a larger incident." The order further read: "The social media platforms, which disseminate information at lightning speed to every corner of the globe, have not only become a source of entertainment and information sharing but have also emerged as major hubs of disinformation. This Court is aware of the role that social media plays in disrupting the even flow of life, if misused. However, the Court, while considering the bail application of a person accused of an offence, must stick to the facts of the case, although bearing in mind the larger social issues."

The court also noted that the accused and their families regret "the pain that had been caused to the society at large." Pale-Skinned, 700 KG 'Donald Trump' Buffalo With Light-Coloured Hair Takes Bangladesh By Storm, Video Goes Viral.

Background of the Case

The FIR against the group was lodged on March 16 based on a complaint filed by Rajat Jaiswal, president of the Varanasi chapter of the BJP Yuva Morcha, who alleged that the incident hurt the sentiments of Hindus. The complainant alleged that the accused broke their Ramzan fast on a boat in the Ganga on March 15, ate meat, and threw leftover waste into the holy river. The men were booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections related to defiling a place of worship and outraging religious feelings.

The counsel for the accused maintained in the bail application that his clients were falsely implicated and were not named in the FIR. A sessions court in Varanasi had earlier denied bail on April 1, observing that the accused appeared to have intended to disturb social harmony. The Allahabad High Court's ruling now overturns that position for eight of the fourteen accused, with hearings for the remaining men scheduled to continue on May 18.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 17, 2026 09:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).