Allahabad HC refuses to quash FIR against Hindu Mahasabha Leader

• The Allahabad High Court has refused to quash an FIR filed against Hindu Mahasabha Spokesperson, Ashok Kumar Pandey over controversial statements made by him against the Aligarh Muslim University.

• Pandey had termed the AMU students as ‘terrorists’ and the institution ‘a seminary for terrorists’ in an interview.

• The FIR against Pandey cited offences under Section 153-A (punishment for persons who indulge in wanton vilification or attacks upon the religion, race etc. of others), 153-B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code

• On Thursday a Division Bench comprising Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Rajendra Kumar-IV stated that the allegations in the FIR against Pandey prima facie disclosed the commission of a cognizable offence and therefore cannot be quashed at this stage.