Chhattisgarh High Court Refuses to Quash FIR Against Professor Over Alleged Coercion to Offer Namaz

The Chhattisgarh High Court has refused to quash an FIR against Professor Dilip Jha, an NSS Project Coordinator accused of coercing non-Muslim students to offer namaz during a camp in Bilaspur.

The Bench observed that with the investigation complete and a charge sheet filed, there is sufficient prima facie evidence for trial.

The case involves allegations that during an Eid-ul-Fitr event, students were pressured to join religious prayers under threat of certificate cancellation.

While Jha claimed he was absent and held no operational role, the Court ruled that such factual disputes must be settled via cross-examination during trial.

[Dilip Jha v. State of Chhattisgarh]