Allahabad High Court on Wednesday refused bail to Mohd. Rihan, accused of chanting the slogan “gustakh-e-nabi ki ek saja, sar tan se juda” (the only punishment for insult to prophet is beheading). The bench led by Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said the slogan challenges the authority of law and the sovereignty of India. The court said it incites armed rebellion and goes against the basic teachings of Islam. The case relates to violence in Bareilly in September 2025 after protests over ‘I love Mohammed’ posters. Police have named Maulana Taukir Raza, head of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, as the main accused for inciting the violence. Investigations showed the accused chanted slogans demanding beheading for disrespect to the Prophet while attacking police and civilians. The court clarified that chanting devotional slogans like “Allahu Akbar” or “Jai Shree Ram” is legal unless used aggressively against other communities. However, slogans calling for beheading insult the Indian legal system and sovereignty. The court said, “Any slogan by a crowd that provides a death sentence contrary to the appropriate punishment provided by the BNS or other criminal law is not only against the constitutional object but also a challenge to the lawful authority of the Indian legal system.” The court also noted that the controversial slogan has no basis in the Quran or other Muslim religious texts. It said even Prophet Mohammad showed kindness to those who disrespected him and never called for beheading. The ruling underlines India’s commitment to law and democracy in face of inflammatory speech.