Javed Mohammad is out on bail after spending around 20 months in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria jail. 

Accused of being the mastermind behind the protests that erupted in Prayagraj over Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad, the 58-year-old activist was booked in eight cases, including under the UP Gangsters Act and the National Security Act. 

The police are yet to prove any of its allegations against the activist in the courts of law – just months ago, Javed’s house was demolished with sections of the media cheering for “bulldozer justice”. 

The activist has been granted bail in all of the cases. During the hearing in which he was most recently granted bail, in a case pertaining to the Gangsters Act, the court noted that the prosecution “has not produced any material to demonstrate that the applicant comes within the definition of ‘gangster’ and ‘gang’”.

In a conversation with Newslaundry, Javed Mohammed speaks about life before and after bail, “betrayal” by the police, the alleged targeting of his communal identity, and his continued faith in the judiciary.

Watch.