The Orissa High Court has granted bail to Mukesh Jain, who was accused of posting a message in WhatsApp Group provoking people to join him on a mission to assault the former Chief Justice of India with shoes for refusing permission to observe Rath Yatra.
Mukesh Jain, is said to be the National Chairman of Dharma Rakshyak Shri Dara Sena, who allegedly portrayed the CJI as a Naxalite and Christian terrorist and accused him for halting the Rath Yatra. Following this, he was charged under offences punishable under Sections 153/153-A/153-B/295-A/504/505/506 of the Indian Penal Code read with Section 66(F) of the Information Technology Act, 2005.
Jain submitted before the High Court that different cases at different police stations of the country have been registered against him with regards to the mentioned WhatsApp message and that he got bail in two cases registered against him.
Justice SK Panigrahi on taking note of the fact that he was granted bail in other two cases and also the length of detention of the accused, granted him bail by imposing certain conditions.
On June 18, 2020, the former CJI SA Bobde had imposed restrictions on Rath Yatra, keeping in mind the surge in Covid- 19 cases, which were modified and permission was granted to conduct Rath Yatra at Puri. The Court now dismissed a batch of petitions seeking permission to hold Rath Yatras in other temples in the State of Orissa at par. The Court held that given the country is only recovering from second wave of Covid-19, the Odisha Government has taken a considered decision.
