Hindu teacher acquitted in blasphemy case after five years

Relatives, community members of the teacher express concerns over his security

KARACHI:

A Hindu teacher, charged with blasphemy in 2019 in the Ghotki district of Sindh, was ordered by a court to be released immediately if not wanted in any other case.

In the judgment, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the court acquitted the accused on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a case against the accused. 

“It is a cardinal principle of law that when the prosecution fails to establish the case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt and there are facts and circumstances leading to an inference other than the guilt of the accused, its benefit has to go to him not as a matter of grace but as his right,” said the judgement.

The relatives, community members and friends of the teacher have expressed concerns over his security as they believe his life is in danger.

“He was falsely accused of blasphemy in 2019 and incarcerated for nearly five years, but has finally been acquitted and ordered to be released by the court,” said Sukh Dev Hemnani, a board member of the Sindh Human Rights Commission.

“We are trying to arrange security for him and his family,” he told The Express Tribune and added that the court reserved the verdict in the case during its last hearing but released the verdict today.

“His life is in danger as anyone could harm him,” Hemnani said, adding that ‘misinformation’ regarding the case could cause trouble for the teacher. 

The allegations and aftermath

A student of the school, Muhammad Ihtisham, had complained to his father that the school owner had allegedly passed derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

In a video that went viral during the incident, Ihtisham said that he had complained to other teachers about the remarks but he was told to keep quiet. "I then approached my family," he said. Protesters had then gathered at the A-Section Police Station and demanded the police to register an FIR against the teacher. The FIR was lodged late evening that day.

After the accused's arrest, the school he started in Ghotki city was closed and handed over to another owner while social and political activists demanded his release.

Following the allegations, the school was attacked. Scores of protesters vandalised the Sacho Satram Mandir located in the city centre and at least five shops located in Jilani Market were looted during the riots.

The main protest, which attacked the school, where the incident reportedly occurred, was allegedly led by Mian Mithoo's elder brother, Mian Aslam. 

Meanwhile, the city administration and law enforcers seemingly remained indifferent and failed to provide security to the temple or disperse the protesters. Thousands of supporters of the Mian brothers held a sit-in on the main roads and marched towards the school.

The protesters reportedly threatened Hindu families, who remained confined to their homes. "We even asked our kids not to cry," a member of the Hindu community told The Express Tribune.

"It was a nightmare. We were in a state of mental trauma and not sure if we could move out freely," he said, adding that the protesters were roaming the streets, shouting slogans against them and their religion.

In one of the videos that went viral following the riots, Mian Aslam is seen leading the protest. But Mian Mithoo, a former member of the National Assembly, denied any involvement.

"I did not lead the protest," he told The Express Tribune. "I was in Ubaro in a meeting," he explained, adding that he was unaware of the situation in Ghotki. "I don't have any idea. I just heard someone [a Hindu] passed comments against our Prophet (PBUH)."