#JUSTIN: 14 Accused of Roza Iftar Boat Party in Varanasi Sent to Judicial Remand
Varanasi court remands 14 accused over Iftar boat party, citing defilement of Ganga and public nuisance.
A Varanasi court on Thursday approved a 14-day judicial remand for 14 individuals accused of holding an Iftar party on a boat in the middle of the River Ganga, allegedly consuming non-vegetarian food and disposing of leftovers into the holy river. The order was passed by ACJM-9 Amit, and all the accused were produced in court under heavy police security. The judicial remand will run from March 19 to April 1.
The Kotwali police had arrested 14 Muslim youths from Madanpura, including Mohd Awwal, Amzad Ali, Mohd Samir, Mohd Ahmad alias Raza, Noor Ismail, Mohd Faizan, Mohd Tahseem, Mahfooj Alam, Mohd Tausif Ahmad, Amir Kaifi, Nehal Afridi, Mohd Anas, and Danish Saifi, following a complaint lodged by Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha city chief Rajat Jaiswal. The FIR cited alleged violations under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, including defiling a place of worship, promoting enmity, public nuisance, and disobedience to public servants.
Police relied on eyewitness accounts and the boatman’s statement, as well as viral video evidence, to identify the accused. During the investigation, additional charges under Section 308 of the IPC, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, were added, alleging that the boatmen were forcibly boarded and threatened. A plea was also filed to include charges of kidnapping.
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During the court hearing, defence counsel opposed the judicial remand, claiming that their clients were innocent and that the FIR did not constitute a serious offence. They requested the court to quash the remand. The prosecution, represented by Deepak Kumar, argued that evidence, including statements from the boatmen, supported the judicial remand and justified continued investigation.
Following the remand order, the defence filed a bail application, which was opposed by the complainant’s advocates—Shashank Shekhar Tripathi, Rajkumar Tiwari, and Nityanand Rai. They argued that the accused deliberately defiled the sacred Ganga at Panchganga Ghat, threatening religious harmony. The advocates also highlighted the alleged criminal history of the accused, urging the court to consider this in the proceedings.
The court has summoned the criminal records of the accused from the relevant police station and scheduled the next hearing for March 23. Authorities continue to investigate the incident while monitoring public reactions to the viral video and ongoing legal proceedings.
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