Bengaluru, May 26: The Karnataka high court has rejected bail to a software engineer who was arrested after his sarcastic Facebook post urged people to spread coronavirus by sneezing in public over two months ago.
Mujeeb Mohammed was sacked by Infosys from the post of senior software engineer after his arrest on March 29.
Justice KS Mudagal observed the investigating officer's report and the case diary prima facie show though Mujeeb was well educated and employed, he uploaded messages which are likely to cause disharmony and panic, and are hostile to humanity at a time when the world is facing the pandemic.
The judge noted that the records indicate Mujeeb has six bank accounts, stayed in Bahrain and Kuwait for some years, was influenced by religious fanatics and anti-national ideas and that he had shared a Pakistan WhatsApp number to someone over information about Islam. The National Investigation Agency is probing his links.
Mujeeb, who is in judicial custody now, has been booked under sections 153A, 505, 270 and 109 of IPC.
His counsel submitted the maximum punishment under 153 A of IPC (causing enmity) would be three years and for other offences, it's even less. He also stated the petitioner would abide by the conditions to be imposed by the court.
However, the government pleader said probe provided leads on the petitioner's links with unorganised terrorist groups and it has to be investigated further.
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