A Delhi court recently granted regular bail to Mujahid Jamal Shaikh, a 34-year-old man accused of posting an AI-morphed image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowing to Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan on social media platform X.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler of the Patiala House Courts granted bail to Shaikh after noting that he has deep roots in the society and has no prior criminal record. The Court said that there was no likelihood of his absconding or tampering with evidence.
Judge Laler added that the evidence in the case is primarily electronic and that the accused had cooperated with the investigation. His mobile phone had already been seized and the social media account in question had been deactivated at the investigating officer's request earlier.
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had booked Shaikh under Sections 336(4) (forgery), 356(2) (criminal defamation) and 353(2) (promoting hatred) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
According to the prosecution, Shaikh reposted an AI-generated image on February 1, 2026, allegedly depicting Modi in a derogatory manner alongside Khan. It is the police’s case that the post can promote disharmony.
Shaikh’s lawyer had argued that his post does not create hatred or disharmony among groups and that the Delhi Police’s decision to attract the penal provisions is wrong. After considering the case, the Court granted him bail.
The Court also took note of procedural concerns, including a disputed document relating to the “grounds of arrest.” The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, has been directed to conduct a preliminary inquiry into its authenticity. “If necessary, opinion of a handwriting expert may be obtained,” the Court added. Advocates Aamir Raza Khan, Sazid SR Shah and Amit Singh appeared for applicant Mujahid Jamal Shaikh. Additional Public Prosecutor Mukul Kumar represented the Delhi Police.’s interest.”
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