New Delhi: Munawar Faruqui, a comedian from Gujarat, was arrested in Indore on Saturday along with four others after the son of a BJP MLA filed a complaint accusing them of making “indecent comments” about Hindu deities and the Union Interior Minister, Amit Shah, during a New Years Show.
A local court rejected their requests for bail and sent them to judicial custody.
Eklavya Singh Gaur, 36, son of local BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaur, who had filed the complaint about the program, said that when he and his associates, who had gone to see the program, they heard the “, He comments, forced the organizers to stop the program.
The other detainees were identified as Edwin Anthony, Prakhar Vyas, Priyam Vyas and Nalin Yadav. All of them were registered under sections 295-A of the IPC (indignation of religious sentiments), 269 (illegal or negligent act that can spread the infection of any life-threatening disease) and other relevant provisions. Section 269 was invoked for allegedly ignoring the COVID-19 security protocol, a police officer said.
“A case was filed late Friday night against Munawar Faruqui, a resident of Junagadh in Gujarat and four people based in Indore based on a written complaint filed by Gaur,” said Kamlesh Sharma, in charge of the police station in Tukoganj.
The comedy show was held at a cafe in Indore’s Dukan area 56 on Friday, police said.
Gaur also sent video footage of the show, Sharma added.
According to the complaint, indecent remarks were made against Hindu gods and goddesses and Amit Shah during the show, Sharma said.
“The show mocked Hindu deities by making indecent comments. The Godhra incident and the Union Interior Minister Amit Shah were also inappropriately mentioned. We recorded a video and stopped the show by pulling the audience out of the cafe, ”Gaur told reporters. “Then we captured the comedians and organizers of the show and took them to the Tukoganj police station,” he said.
However, a person who claimed to have attended the program said that Faruqui had not said anything directed at any particular religion, nor were his jokes derogatory.
Gaur, who is the coordinator of the local group Hind Rakshak, also alleged that no physical distancing was maintained at the scene and that the show did not have permission from the authorities. “At least 100 spectators were sitting in the small hallway of the cafe,” Gaur alleged.
While some media reports said that the comedian had been beaten by Hind Rakshak workers during the riot at the cafe, Gaur denied the claim.
Chief Judge Aman Singh Bhuria refused to grant bail to Faruqui and four other people and placed them in pre-trial detention until 13 January.
During the discussions, Farooqui’s attorney, Anshuman Shrivastava, said the FIR had registered for a political motive and cited the constitutional provisions for free speech to defend the comedians.
Gaur’s attorney, Dinesh Pandey, objected to the bail requests, saying the show took place without permission from the administration and hurt religious sentiments.
(With PTI inputs)
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