A former director of Haji Public School in Kashmir, Sabbah Haji, has been released on bail after her arrest for calling Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat a war criminal after his tragic death.
Executive Magistrate of Doda district in Jammu & Kashmir ordered her released on bail a few days ago under sections 107 (security for keeping the peace),108 (security for good behaviour from persons disseminating seditious matters) and 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
Sabbah Haji was released on bail by the court on personal bond of Rs 50,000, after she submitted a written apology for her post.
However, Sabbah Haji was ordered to be present at women’s police station in Doda from 12 AM to 2 PM every day for three days, from December 14 to 17. After the three days, she was asked to appear before the Executive Magistrate, Doda. The magistrate also said that law enforcement agencies would monitor her activities for a year.
Sabbah Haji was arrested last week after her defamatory comments on General Rawat after his death in the tragic chopper crash on December 8. In an Instagram post posted on December 9th on her Instagram account named Stand with Kashmir, she had called General Rawat ‘The War Criminal’ in a graphic with a photo of Gen Rawat.
In the accompanying text, she had written, “General Rawat had a history of playing the Indian state’s stooge to near perfection”, with a link to an article by Faheem Hamid Lone on her blog, asking people to read it.
The post had created a widespread outrage on social media, demanding her arrest. There were also demands to shut down Haji Public School at Doda, where she had earlier worked as a director as well as a teacher.
Facing the public outrage on Sabbah’s comments, Haji Public School had issued a statement distancing itself from her comments. In its official Facebook page, the school said that at present Sabbah Haji is not associated with Haji Public School in any official capacity. The statement said, “The Haji Public School management would like to clarify that a recent distasteful media post during the rounds has nothing to do with the school and that the said person has acted in their individual capacity after their tenure with the school ended.
Ms Sabbah Haji is not associated with Haji Public School in any official capacity.”
Sabbah Haji was arrested after complaints were lodged against her by BJYM for cybercrime. Accordingly, an FIR was registered against her at Doda.
Registered a complaint against Sabah Haji & Directed Police Station Head to lodge F.I.R @manojsinha_@diprjk @HMOIndia @VikramadityaSum @drmonika_langeh @AnanyaJamwal2 pic.twitter.com/ap8RxFemug
— Himat Singh Thakur (@HimatThakur) December 11, 2021
Tejas Ek Pahal Foundation Doda lodged a fir against Sabbah Haji , Director to HPS Prem Nagar, Doda.
— Akash Manhas 🇮🇳 (@akash_manhas) December 13, 2021
Already, a FIR has been lodged by @Ravinder_BJYM but no action has been taken by @JmuKmrPolice. pic.twitter.com/nSxu9jf2n4
Apart from Sabbah Haji two other youths from Doda arrested for defamatory comments after the death of General Rawat were also granted bail. Parvej Ahmed and Atlaf Hussain had made communally provocative comments on social media, where they had celebrated the death.
In August this year, Sabbah Haji had suffered a meltdown after someone had asked whether the National Flag was hoisted at her school on the occasion of Independence day. She had called the possibility rubbish, and said it was not possible as it was Sunday and the school was closed.
