CG HC rejects prof plea to quash FIR in ‘forced namaz’ row

Raipur: Chhattisgarh high court has dismissed a petition filed by a professor of Guru Ghasidas Central University (GGU) in Bilaspur that sought to quash an FIR against him and others for allegedly forcing some students to offer namaz during a National Service Scheme (NSS camp) on March 30 last year.Claims of a "frivolous or vexatious" FIR must be tested at trial only, a bench of chief justice Ramesh Sinha and justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal said, rejecting the petition filed by Dilip Jha, a 45-year-old professor and project coordinator at GGU. The court said the case does not warrant extraordinary intervention under BNSS Section 528 as a chargesheet has already been filed following an investigation.Jha argued that he held only an administrative role and was absent during the alleged incident, and there was no evidence linking him to it.Leaning in favour of the argument put forward by the state counsel, the bench said Jha's anticipatory bail and defenses like his absence at the time of the incident, could be brought up during cross-examination. "Interference (at this stage) would amount to pre-judging issues of fact," said the court.The controversy stems from a 7-day NSS camp from March 26 to April 1, 2025, at Shivtarai in Bilaspur's Kota, which saw the participation of 159 students.Astik Sahu, a 21-year-old resident of Patel Hostel, filed a police complaint on April 14, 2025, alleging that on March 30, which coincided with Eid-ul-Fitr, four Muslim students were called on stage to offer namaz and others were compelled to join against their wishes. The students unwilling to comply were threatened with certificate cancellation.A preliminary probe implicated Prof Jha and some other faculty members. An FIR was lodged on April 26 under BNS sections 196(1)(b), 197(1)(b)(c), 299, 302, and 190, pertaining to criminal conspiracy, murder (likely abetment) and promoting enmity. A chargesheet followed against the professor and other accused faculty on May 29, 2025.A judicial magistrate first class, Kota, took cognisance of the chargesheet on Oct 7.