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Allahabad High Court grants bail to men held over Ganga iftar row
The Allahabad High Court granted bail to a group of men accused of consuming non-vegetarian food during an iftar party on a boat in the Ganga at Varanasi and disposing of waste in the river. The order was given during bail proceedings, with May 18 set for hearing pleas of other accused.
Why It Matters
The development concerns a hate-crimes linked case and highlights the ongoing legal process in handling tensions around religious sentiments in India.
Timeline
6 Events
Hearing for pleas of other accused fixed
May 18, 2026
The High Court fixed May 18 for hearing the pleas of some other accused in the case.
Allahabad HC grants bail to group of men
May 15, 2026
Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla granted bail to the group of men accused in the Ganga river iftar case after hearing the bail application.
HC grants one-week time for counter affidavit
May 8, 2026
The Allahabad High Court granted the State government's counsel one week to file a counter affidavit in the bail case.
Sessions court denies bail in Ganga incident
April 1, 2026
A sessions court in Varanasi denied bail to the accused, saying they appeared to intend to disturb social harmony.
FIR lodged over Ganga boat incident
March 16, 2026
A first information report (FIR) was registered based on a complaint by Rajat Jaiswal, President of the Varanasi BJP Yuva Morcha, alleging that the incident hurt Hindu sentiments.
Incident on Ganga boat during Ramzan fast
March 15, 2026
During an iftar gathering on a boat on the Ganga in Varanasi, the group reportedly broke their Ramzan fast, consumed non-vegetarian meat, and dumped leftover waste into the river.