In a case that stirred both legal and public interest, the Allahabad High Court has granted bail to Javed, accused of uploading a video on WhatsApp featuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Pakistan in a satirical clip.
Background
The incident traces back to a video Javed allegedly posted as his WhatsApp status. The video, according to the FIR, showed images of both leaders with a movie clip playing in the background. The audio suggested that citizens of both nations were unhappy with their leaders and "wanted to remove them," followed by calls for verbal and military conflict to "keep people silent for five years."
Javed was booked under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) - a section dealing with acts inciting enmity between groups — and was arrested on June 11, 2025.
Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal noted that even if Javed’s posting of the video was accepted, the act did not fit within the legal scope of Section 152 BNS.
“The bench observed, ‘The content of the video, though objectionable to some, does not attract the ingredients of Section 152 BNS,’” the court stated.
The judge emphasized that the video, in its form, could not be treated as an act of promoting enmity or disrupting public order. The court further took into account that Javed had no prior criminal history and that the charge sheet had already been submitted.
Granting bail, the Court ordered Javed's release upon furnishing a personal bond and two sureties. The order came with strict conditions:
- He must not upload any objectionable content on social media.
- He must cooperate in the trial and avoid any criminal activity.
- Any violation could lead to immediate cancellation of bail.
The case, heard on October 8, 2025, concluded with a balanced reminder of the fine line between free expression and legal restraint in the digital age.
Case Title: Javed vs State of Uttar Pradesh
Case Type & Number: Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 22482 of 2025
Date of Order: October 8, 2025
