Mumbai, India - The Bombay High Court today directed police not to take any "coercive" action against Islamic scholar Mehraj Rabbani, accused of hurting religious sentiments, while asking him to give an undertaking that he would not make any speeches till further orders.
Rabbani, who belongs to the radical Ahle Hadees sect of Islam, had moved court seeking anticipatory bail after he was accused of having made derogatory remarks about a Sufi saint.
On a complaint filed by Siraj Ahmed Abdul Shaikh, police registered a case for "hurting religious sentiments" of Dargah-going Sunnis against him last month.
Shaikh alleged that Rabbani made inflammatory statements against Hindus and Christians too.
Rabbani made the speech on February 28 in suburban Ghatkopar, but he denied that he made the particular remarks.
The Sessions Court had last week rejected his application for anticipatory bail, so he moved High Court.