Allahabad HC Stays Arrest Of Journalist Vineet Narain Accused Of Making Defamatory Posts Against Ram Temple Trust Secretary

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday granted interim protection against arrest to Journalist Vineet Narain and his associate named Rajneesh Kapur, who have been booked for putting up allegations that Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Champat Rai and his brothers grabbed land from gaushala in Bijnor district. It may be noted that a complaint had been lodged by Rai's brother, Sanjay Bansal against Senior journalist Vineet Narain, his associate Rajneesh and one Alka Lahoti. Noting that in the FIR, several such sections were added which deal with an entirely different situation, the Court said: "Section 153A provides for promoting enmity, Section 193 provides for punishment for false evidence, Section 295A provides for punishment for furnishing false evidence, Section 417 provides for punishment for cheating, Section 419 provides for punishment for cheating by personation, Section 448 provides for punishment for house-trespass, Section 465 Punishment for forgery, Section 467 provides for forgery of valuable security, will, etc., Section 469 provides for forgery for purpose of harming reputation, Section 470 provides for forged document, Section 471 provides for using as genuine a forged document or electronic record, Section 504 provides for intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace, Section 505 is not mentioned in the IPC, Section 505 provides for statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes and Section 507 provides for criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication. Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000 provides for punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource, Section 71 provides for penalty for misrepresentation and Section 74 provides for publication for fraudulent purpose."