FIR against MP law college principal: Do you seriously want to challenge bail order? Supreme Court asks State

The Supreme Court on Monday disposed of a plea filed by the Principal of the New Government Law College, Indore challenging proceedings against him in relation to allegations of promoting Hinduphobia and anti-India propaganda [Inamur Rehman v. State of Madhya Pradesh]..A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala implored the Madhya Pradesh government to focus on more serious work instead. Counsel for the State informed the judges that the High Court had since granted anticipatory bail to the professor in question, which they plan to challenge. To this, noting that nothing survived in the matter, CJI Chandrachud remarked, "He is a college principal and State must do more serious work. A book of 2014 found in library. You want to challenge the final order...are you serious?" .The Supreme Court had in December stayed the arrest of Professor Inamur Rehman in the matter.A Bench headed by CJI Chandrachud had sought the response of the Madhya Pradesh government in the matter within four weeks.As per a report in ThePrint, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Syayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had been protesting since December 1 over what they claimed were “Hinduphobic” books in the library of the Shasakiya Navin Vidhi Mahavidyalaya (New Government Law College) in Indore. The books in question were written by Dr Farhat Khan titled ‘Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System’ and ‘Women and Criminal Law’. The former has a passage examining the Hindu society’s treatment of women, with the claim that Hindu women were instruments of lust fulfilment in a male-dominated world, and that scriptures revealed how they were subservient to men.The allegations led to faculty suspensions, Prof Rehman's resignation and a police case.The State Higher Education Minister had tweeted that Prof Rehman and Assistant Prof Dr Mirza Beg had been suspended with immediate effect. A first information report (FIR) was registered on the basis of a complaint by an LL.M. student at the college who had links to the ABVP..During today's hearing, counsel for the State argued that students had said that the appellant was preaching and teaching the book. "Then you challenge when it comes. We are disposing of this plea," the CJI replied. .[Read order]