A court in Bihar’s Begusarai extended relief to Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh regarding his “Do Gaz Zameen” comment made during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign. The court allowed the anticipatory bail granted to Singh to continue and reserved its decision on his request for exemption from personal appearance in future proceedings. Singh, present at the hearing, sought permanent exemption from appearing under Section 205 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Giriraj Singh, addressing journalists, alleged that the case against him was politically motivated and linked to the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign. He claimed that the accusations, including violations of the Model Code of Conduct, were a result of political rivalry. The court, after considering arguments, decided to uphold the previously granted anticipatory bail.
Senior Advocate Amarendra Kumar ‘Amar,’ involved in the case, explained that the charges stemmed from a speech delivered by Giriraj Singh during a public meeting at the G.D. College campus in Begusarai on April 6, 2019. The controversial “Do Gaz Zameen” remark led to the filing of an FIR, citing allegations of promoting communal disharmony and making inflammatory statements.
Despite the passage of time, the defence highlighted the prosecution’s failure to produce crucial evidence, including authenticated voice recordings of the speech. The defence argued that essential documents, such as seizure records, have not been presented during the proceedings. Giriraj Singh, while fulfilling his administrative duties as a Union Minister, complied with the court’s directives by appearing for the case.
