67 FIRs registered against seer over alleged derogatory remarks against Islam, Prophet Mohammed
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that approximately 67 FIRs have been registered statewide against Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj, a Hindu religious leader, because of his alleged derogatory remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed at an event in Nashik. They added that the objectionable material containing the alleged derogatory remarks, which was shared online, is being taken down by the cyber crime police.
According to a report in India Today, Maharashtra Advocate General Dr Birendra Saraf made this submission while opposing a petition which sought registration of an FIR against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with Ramgiri Maharaj after FIRs were filed against him.
The petition, filed by advocate Mohammad Wasi Sayed and others, alleges a significant increase in communal incidents since 2014, claiming that "systematic Islamophobic customs are protected by the state and Union governments," leading to mob lynchings, riots, and the ostracism of Muslims.
Advocate Ejaz Naqvi, representing the petitioners, argued that instead of taking action against Ramgiri Maharaj, Shinde chose to share a platform with him, asserting that saints would be protected in the state.
However, Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan noted that petitions regarding the removal of the seer's videos and the registration of FIRs for alleged hate speech are already being heard.
Regarding hate speech, the bench remarked that while they cannot prevent individuals from giving speeches, the police are taking necessary action and registering FIRs.
"Just because they (Eknath Shinde and Ramgiri) are sharing a stage, it does not mean that FIR should be registered. You have to show malafides. If there is a breach, there are FIRs being registered. You (Naqvi) are making the issue political. When you digress from the core issue, then this is what happens. Your core issue is to take down videos,” the bench added, as mentioned by the publication.
Saraf opposed the plea, emphasising that FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj had already been registered, stating that as of September 19, 67 FIRs were filed. He argued that proceedings cannot be initiated in this manner and urged for the removal of CM's name from the list of respondents in the petition. The bench agreed and warned of imposing costs on the petitioners.
The bench further directed Naqvi to modify his prayers and delete all the respondents except cyber police and local police officials. "Police have a mechanism. They will deal with this," the bench stated.
The bench will further hear the petition on October 17.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
