The Allahabad High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Dr. Jitendra Kumar, a professor at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), who is facing criminal charges for allegedly referencing instances of “rape” in Hindu mythology during a lecture on forensic medicine in 2022.
In its order, Justice Gautam Chowdhary observed that there is no prima facie evidence to suggest the professor intentionally sought to disturb public order or hurt religious sentiments. The court noted that the professor was referring to historical material published by the government and did so within the academic context of his subject.
The decision takes into account a prior internal inquiry conducted by AMU, which found that Dr. Kumar made an unintentional error and did not deliberately invoke religious connotations. The inquiry committee, comprising three professors and an assistant registrar, had previously concluded that his actions were not motivated by malice.
Dr. Kumar was suspended in April 2022 following the controversy but was reinstated in 2023. He had earlier been granted interim bail in August last year. The complaint, which led to the FIR under IPC Sections 153A, 295A, 298, and 505(2), was filed by Nishit Sharma, a BJP worker and AMU alumnus. The charges allege that Dr. Kumar’s lecture hurt religious sentiments and incited disharmony.
