HC issues contempt notice to Bareilly DM, SP for denying namaz at house

Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has issued contempt notices to the district magistrate and the Superintendent of Police, Bareilly, for allegedly not permitting namaz inside the house of a petitioner.The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justices Atul Sreedharan and Siddhartha Nandan on a petition filed by one Tarik Khan of Bareilly.
Khan alleged that despite a high court order permitting religious activities inside a person's own premises, the respondent police authorities did not permit namaz inside his house in Bareilly on Jan 16.In its order, passed on Feb 12, the HC said, "Counsel for the state is requested to seek instructions in this case. Issue notice to second and third respondents (DM and SP of Bareilly) under Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, for flouting this court's order dated Jan 27, 2026, passed in Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries vs State of UP and two others."Accordingly, the court ordered to list the case on March 11 as a fresh case in the top 10 cases.Earlier in the case of Maranatha Full Gospel Ministries, the court had observed, "Under the circumstances, the present writ petition is disposed of by observing that the petitioner has right to conduct the prayer as per convenience in his own private premises without any permission from the state government. However, if any occasion arises where it has to spill over the public road or public property, in such a situation, this court mandates that the petitioner shall at least intimate the police and take any requisite permission under the law, if so required."