Ghaziabad Video Case: Bombay HC Grants Journalist Rana Ayyub Four-Week Transit Bail

The Bombay High Court Monday granted journalist and author Rana Ayyub a four-week transit anticipatory bail and protection from arrest in a case related to the alleged assault in Ghaziabad.

The Uttar Pradesh police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Ayyub and eight others on June 15 over a tweet she made on the incident from Loni, where an elderly Muslim man was allegedly assaulted by a group of youths. A purported video of the same had gone viral on social media last week.

A single-judge bench of Justice Prakash D Naik pronounced the judgment granting Ayyub protection from arrest and time to consider her legal options. If arrested during the four-week period, she is to be released on a bond of Rs 25000, the court ordered, as per Live Law. 

Ayyub's advocate argued in court the globally renowned journalist had only commented on the Loni issue with reference to the video and reports already in circulation.

Rana Ayyub Ghaziabad Video Case: Here's What Happened

Ayyub had reportedly remarked on the Loni incident based on the video. Certain reports earlier claimed the alleged assault was communally charged with the Muslim man being forced to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' and his beard being cut. However, conflicting versions later emerged with authorities saying the dispute allegedly occurred over the sale of amulets.

The FIR against Ayyub was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including provocation to cause riot, promoting enmity and criminal conspiracy.

A day after the FIR, Ayyub took to Twitter, writing, "The tweets I had shared earlier about the attack on Abdul were based on a video and various news reports, published by print and electronic media..." See below:

2/2 a different narrative, I shall wait for the truth to prevail at the earliest. My endeavour remains as always to share news that highlights the truth and thereby promotes peace and harmony in our society. I hope the victim gets justice.

— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) June 16, 2021

Besides Ayyub, others named in the UP Police's FIR include Twitter (which recently lost its intermediary status in India), journalist Saba Naqvi and publication The Wire. Another complaint related to the Ghaziabad incident was filed with the Delhi Police against actor Swara Bhasker, journalist Arfa Khanum and others. Read here.

Ayyub is a columist with The Washington Post and author of Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover Up. The award-winning journalist is a vocal critic of the central government. More about her here.