Activist Rehana Fathima who tried to enter Sabarimala moves Kerala HC for bail

Rehana Fathima, the activist arrested on charges of hurting religious sentiments, has moved the Kerala High Court seeking bail..Fathima was arrested and charged under Sections 295A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for outraging religious feelings of a certain group or class..The allegations against Fathima pertain to a couple of Facebook posts made by her containing images and her opinion on the issue of Sabarimala Temple Entry. These posts allegedly hurt the religious sentiments of the devotees of Lord Ayyappa..A complaint was made against the petitioner by one V Radhakrishna Menon who claims to be the President of an association named ‘Pancha Divya Desha Darsan’..In the petition filed through advocate Renjith B Marar, Fathima has submitted that she took to social media and expressed her opinion on Sabarimala issue after which she started receiving threats from certain religious groups..“The petitioner, since she expressed opinion openly in the social media was threatened some religious and such other groups who had difference of opinion with her. The petitioner was threatened and abused in social media and her children were also not spared.”.She has contended that she was singled out in the wake of the raging protests in the State against the implementation of the Judgment in Sabarimala case. She was arrested and charged in order to appease the protestors and was thus, made a “scapegoat”..“By this time, the public demand and outrage as against the implementation of the Judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court accelerated and elevated to such heights beyond the control of the Government and the petitioner was sought to be made a scapegoat to impress upon the protestors that they were compassionate with them.”.The petitioner has prayed for bail contending that no offences under Sections 295A and 505 is made out against her and a continued custody is, therefore, not required..Fathima had earlier approached the Kerala High Court for Anticipatory bail apprehending her arrest. However, the same was dismissed on November 16 whereupon she surrendered and was remanded to judicial custody on November 27..The petitioner sought regular bail from the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Pathanamthitta, which was dismissed on December 4..Image Courtesy: my nation