A Muslim man from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, has been granted bail by the Allahabad High Court after spending nearly seven months in jail over an Instagram post connected to the “I Love Mohammed” slogan controversy. Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla ordered the release of the accused, identified as Nadeem, observing that his post did not mention any specific caste or community.
The Arrest and Court Proceedings
Nadeem was arrested on October 7, 2025, and had remained in custody ever since. His lawyer argued that he had already been detained for a long period and that the trial was unlikely to be completed anytime soon, as the chargesheet had already been filed. The court agreed and granted him bail.
The state government opposed the bail plea strongly. Prosecutors argued that Nadeem’s video was provocative in nature, claiming that he had declared he would “slit his own neck and that of others” in support of the slogan. Police also linked the video to communal tensions that had spread across parts of Uttar Pradesh in September 2025.
How the Controversy Began?
The controversy first surfaced in early September 2025 in Kanpur’s Rawatpur area, where Hindu residents raised objections to banners displaying “I Love Muhammad” that were put up during Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi processions celebrating the birth anniversary of the Prophet. Police eventually removed the banners, though they stated the action was taken due to route violations rather than the slogan itself.
Following the incident, multiple FIRs were registered against individuals allegedly attempting to create communal discord. More cases were filed later after claims emerged that Hindu religious posters were damaged during a Barawafat procession.
Violence in Bareilly
Weeks after the Kanpur incidents, tensions escalated in Bareilly when cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan called for a public protest demonstration. However, authorities denied permission for the demonstration. When protesters attempted to march regardless, police intervened with lathi charges and tear gas. Authorities alleged that there was a larger conspiracy behind the protests aimed at inciting communal unrest.
Scale of the Crackdown
The extent of the legal action taken across the country over the controversy was significant. According to data from the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, at least 21 FIRs were registered and more than 1,300 people were booked across Uttar Pradesh and other states in connection with incidents linked to the slogan.
Incidents in Other Parts of the Country
The controversy was not limited to Uttar Pradesh alone. In Ahilyanagar, clashes broke out after a rangoli carrying allegedly offensive remarks appeared in a locality, leading to detentions and the registration of an FIR.
In Aligarh, a very different angle to the story emerged. Four men were arrested for writing “I Love Muhammad” on temple walls. Police stated that the men had done this deliberately to falsely implicate their Muslim neighbours in a property dispute, adding a layer of complexity to an already tense situation.
What the Bail Order Signals
The Allahabad High Court’s decision to grant bail to Nadeem after seven months reflects the court’s careful reading of the content of his post. Justice Rajiv Lochan Shukla’s observation that the Instagram post did not reference any caste or community is significant, as it suggests the content, while arguably provocative in tone, may not have directly targeted any specific group as required under relevant legal provisions.
The case highlights the broader tensions surrounding the “I Love Mohammed” controversy and raises important questions about the boundaries of free expression, the pace of trials in such cases, and the treatment of undertrials who spend prolonged periods in custody before courts examine the merits of the charges against them.