The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to a Muslim poet named Rakib Uddin Ahmed accused of posting an obscene poem on Hindu deities Lord Ram and Sita.

The apex court was hearing an appeal against a February 22 Gauhati High Court order denying the accused anticipatory bail. Ahmed allegedly concealed his real identity, with the name Neelabh Sourav, and published the obscene poem about Hindu deities Lord Ram and Sita. The poem was posted by the accused on his Facebook account on January 22, 2024.

The High Court had said that the police had sufficient incriminating material against the poet warranting custodial interrogation. Further, the High Court had said that the accused is likely to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence.

“It cannot be said that the said poem has not influenced any enmity and hatred between different groups on the ground of religion … the applicant has been absconding since the date of occurrence to avoid arrest by police”, the High Court had said.

The top court in an ex-parte hearing also sought the response of the Assam government in the matter. “In the meantime, the petitioner shall not be arrested subject to the condition that he shall co-operate with the investigation,” the apex court said.