Court acquits Jitendra Tyagi aka Wasim Rizvi in hate speech case

A Haridwar court has acquitted Jitendra Tyagi, formerly known as Wasim Rizvi, in the 2021 Dharam Sansad hate speech case.

He has been acquitted on the grounds of “benefit of doubt”. The verdict was delivered by Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Avinash Kumar Srivastava on April 16.

Background of the case

The controversy stemmed from a three-day Dharam Sansad event held in December 2021 at Haridwar’s Niketan Ashram where several religious leaders were accused of delivering hate speeches.

Viral videos of the event drew sharp criticism from various quarters including the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad which is the apex body of Hindu monastic orders.

The body emphasized that Sanatan Dharma promotes peace and condemns violence against other religions.

Legal proceedings against Jitendra Tyagi aka Wasim Rizvi

A former chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board, Tyagi who converted to Hinduism in December 2021 faced charges under various sections of IPC.

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An FIR was lodged against him at Haridwar’s Kotwali police station on January 1, 2022. Following the complaint, he was arrested on January 13, 2022 near the Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border. In May 2022, he was released on bail.

The CJM court’s acquittal cited insufficient evidence to conclusively prove the involvement of Tyagi aka Wasim Rizvi in the alleged offenses.

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