Madhya Pradesh: Stand-Up comic Munawar Faruqui released from Indore Central Jail

After much speculation, stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui walked out of Indore central jail late on Saturday night, a day after the Supreme Court granted him bail.

Initially, claiming that they did not receive a release order from the apex court, jail authorities refused to free Faruqui.

An official of the Indore central jail had also said that a court in Prayagraj had ordered Faruqui’s production in a similar case on February 18. Citing the jail manual, he said that an order from the Prayagraj court or a competent government officer, was needed to release him.

However, Faruqui was eventually released late on Saturday night. He was arrested on January 1 for allegedly making objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a show in Indore on New Year’s Day.

On Friday, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail after the Madhya Pradesh High Court had rejected his bail plea on January 28.

The apex court also stayed the production warrant issued against Faruqui by a court in Prayagraj in connection with an FIR lodged there. Eyewitnesses said that the comedian walked out of the jail as silently and quietly as possibly to avoid a backlash in the wake of accusations made against him.