Shouting Jai Shri Ram inside mosque does not amount to outraging religious feelings: Karnataka High Court

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday ruled that shouting "Jai Shri Ram" inside a mosque does not amount to outraging religious feelings or disturbing public order, as it quashed criminal proceedings against two men accused of insulting religious beliefs.

Justice M Nagaprasanna, while quashing the charges against Keerthan Kumar and Sachin Kumar from Dakshin Kannada, remarked, "It is ununderstandable how shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ would outrage the religious feelings of any class when the complainant himself states that Hindus and Muslims are living in harmony in the area."

The court added, "Section 295A deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings. Any and every act will not become an offence under this section unless it disturbs peace or public order."

With no adverse impact on public order and the lack of any real antimony in the incident, the Court concluded, "Permitting further proceedings against these petitioners would become an abuse of the process of law and result in miscarriage of justice."

Advocate Sachin BS appeared for the petitioners, while HCGP Sowmya R represented the State.