A celebratory procession organised for rape accused Sushil Prajapati after his release on bail from Dasna jail in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad has triggered widespread outrage and renewed debate around the public glorification of individuals facing serious criminal charges.
Videos widely circulated on social media showed Prajapati being garlanded, carried on supporters’ shoulders, and welcomed with slogans, flower showers and a convoy of vehicles on May 17, nearly nine months after his arrest in a rape case filed by an LLB student from Modinagar.
Police said they had taken cognisance of the viral clips and launched an inquiry into the roadshow, while reports later indicated that a fresh FIR had also been registered against Prajapati and several unidentified supporters.
The complainant had alleged in 2025 that Prajapati drugged and raped her after luring her with promises of professional support at Ghaziabad court, allegations he has not publicly responded to.
Opposition leaders criticised the public celebration, arguing that it sends a damaging message regarding women’s safety and accountability, while supporters maintained that bail does not amount to guilt and described the reception as an act of solidarity.
Viral Videos Trigger Backlash
The controversy erupted after videos filmed outside the Ghaziabad jail complex rapidly spread across X, YouTube, WhatsApp and television news broadcasts, drawing sharp criticism from activists, political leaders and social media users.
In several clips, supporters can be seen placing marigold garlands around Prajapati’s neck, chanting slogans, recording selfies and escorting him through the streets in what many described as a “victory procession”. Other visuals showed flower petals being showered on him while a convoy of SUVs and motorcycles followed behind, creating scenes that resembled a political roadshow rather than the release of an accused person on bail.
The case gained further attention because Prajapati has reportedly been associated with the Hindu Yuva Vahini, an organisation founded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Media reports identified him as a former city-level functionary of the group in Ghaziabad, adding a political dimension to the controversy.
Opposition leaders, particularly Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, criticised the state government after the videos surfaced. According to reports, Yadav questioned what message such public celebrations send to survivors of sexual violence and accused the ruling establishment of failing to uphold sensitivity in cases involving women’s safety.
Senior police officer Surendra Nath Tiwari confirmed that the viral videos had come to the attention of the authorities and stated that action would be taken after an investigation. As public criticism intensified, reports suggested that police registered a separate FIR linked to the celebratory procession, viewing it as an inappropriate public display in support of an accused facing grave allegations.
The incident also reignited memories of protests that allegedly took place during Prajapati’s arrest in August 2025, when supporters reportedly gathered outside Muradnagar police station and created disruptions while opposing police action.
Allegations And Legal Background
According to police records, the case against Prajapati began after an LLB student from Modinagar lodged a complaint at Muradnagar police station on August 8, 2025. In her FIR, the complainant alleged that she first met Prajapati in 2021 while studying law and training under a senior advocate in Meerut.
She claimed that Prajapati offered to help her shift her legal practice to Ghaziabad court and promised assistance in securing a chamber there. Under this pretext, she alleged, he took her to a flat in a Thar SUV where he mixed an intoxicating substance into a cold drink before sexually assaulting her.
The woman further alleged that Prajapati threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone and later abandoned her by the roadside before fleeing. Following the FIR, Ghaziabad police announced a reward of ₹25,000 for information leading to his arrest. He was arrested on August 11, 2025, and remained in judicial custody for nearly nine months before securing bail in May 2026.
While the legal proceedings in the rape case are still underway and the court has not delivered a verdict on the allegations, the public celebration following his release shifted national attention from the bail order itself to the symbolism of the procession.
Legal experts and women’s rights advocates pointed out that bail is a procedural legal right and should not be interpreted as acquittal or proof of innocence. However, critics argued that publicly glorifying an accused person in a rape case risks discouraging survivors from seeking justice and may contribute to a culture where social influence overshadows accountability.
The incident also sparked intense debate online, with users divided over whether criticism of the roadshow amounted to prejudging an accused before trial. While some defended the procession by citing the principle of “innocent until proven guilty”, others argued that celebratory displays involving serious criminal accusations undermine public trust in the justice system and deepen social insensitivity towards crimes against women.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Ghaziabad procession raises difficult but necessary questions about how society responds to allegations of sexual violence and the kind of public culture we are normalising around criminal accusations. While every accused person has the constitutional right to legal defence and bail, public celebrations that resemble political victory parades can appear deeply insensitive, particularly in cases involving allegations of rape and intimidation.
The incident also reflects the growing influence of spectacle-driven politics and social media amplification, where viral visuals often shape public discourse more strongly than legal nuance. The conversation should not become a partisan battle alone; instead, it should encourage broader reflection on dignity, responsibility and the social messages conveyed through public actions. Justice must remain rooted in due process, but communities also carry a moral responsibility to ensure that support for individuals does not translate into the glorification of serious criminal allegations.
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