NEWDELHI: Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, accused of writing an ‘inflammatory’ article in a newspaper published from Mumbai, has been granted anticipatory bail on Monday by the Delhi High Court.
Justice M L Mehta said that if Swamy was arrested, he should be released on furnishing a personal bond and a surety of `25,000 each. In the process, he took on record Swamy’s undertaking that he would desist from writing such articles in future. Though the article was based on a book and it is the fundamental right of a citizen, this right has to be exercised with certain reasonable restrictions, Justice Mehta said. He appreciated Swamy for giving an unequivocal undertaking that he would obey the restrictions imposed on him. “You are a very wise man. You write whatever you want to write, but follow the reasonable restrictions. I appreciate your gesture of giving an undertaking,” the Judge remarked. In response to the observation of the Judge that India is a secular country and emotions of every section of the society have to be respected, Swamy said, “I have Muslim relatives. I have Christian relatives. I have a Parsi wife.”
However, opposing the anticipatory bail to Swamy, the Delhi police argued that the bail should not be granted as the matter was a serious one. Swamy had filed his anticipatory bail application on January 12.