One more case against controversial priest Narsinghanand over inflammatory remarks
Thane (PTI): The Thane police in Maharashtra have registered an FIR against controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, who is already facing multiple cases, over his alleged objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad, officials said on Sunday.
The seer allegedly made the objectionable remarks during a programme held at Hindi Bhavan in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) on September 29, as per the police.
Based on complaint by the president of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the Mumbra police in Thane registered a case against him on October 3.
The FIR has been loaged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 197 (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 302 (intentionally uttering words to deliberately wound the religious sentiments of another person), an official from Mumbra police station said.
No arrest has been made in this connection so far, he said.
Police complaints have been filed in several states against Narsinghanand and there have been demands that he be arrested.
An FIR has also been registered against the priest in Maharashtra's Amravati city, which saw violent protests against his remarks outside the Nagpuri Gate police station in which 21 police personnel were injured and 10 police vans were damaged during stone pelting by a mob on Friday night, according to officials.
Narsinghanand's remarks had sparked protests in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh and other states.
A large crowd gathered outside the Dasna Devi temple in Ghaziabad, where he presides, to protest against him on Friday night after videos of his inflammatory remarks appeared online, following which security was stepped up around the premises.
Narsinghanand has several cases against him, including for allegedly making a hate speech at a conclave in Haridwar (Uttarakhand) in December 2021, and was out on bail.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind vice president Malik Motasim Khanhas in a release issued on Saturday said they condemn the "blasphemous" remarks by the seer and demanded that he be arrested immediately.
"Muslims must remember that the stature and dignity of Prophet Muhammad cannot be diminished by the vile words of a few ignorant and despicable individuals. We should remain calm in the face of such provocation and should counter these provocations with wisdom, patience, and dignity," he said.
"We urge the community to take meaningful steps to promote the teachings, ethics, and noble qualities of Prophet Muhammad in multiple languages, so that the true message of peace and compassion reaches every corner of the country. Only through such efforts can we hope to build a society rooted in mutual respect and harmony," he added.
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BCI urges CJI to take action against Andhra HC judge for sending young lawyer to 24-hour custody
New Delhi (PTI): The Bar Council of India on Wednesday sought the urgent intervention of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant following a "deeply disturbing" incident where a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court reportedly sent a young advocate to
24-hour judicial custody over a procedural lapse.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairperson and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, in a formal representation, termed the conduct of Justice Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao "grossly inappropriate" and "damaging to the confidence of the Bar".
“I most respectfully request your Lordship to kindly take immediate institutional cognizance of the matter and call for the video recording of the proceedings, the order passed, and the surrounding circumstances.
“I further request that appropriate administrative action may kindly be considered, including withdrawal of judicial work from the learned Judge pending review, his immediate transfer to some far off High Court, and his nomination for appropriate judicial training/orientation on court management, judicial temperament, Bar-Bench relations, and proportional exercise of contempt/judicial authority,” Mishra wrote.
This representation is made to preserve the “dignity, moral authority and public confidence of the judiciary”, he said, adding, “Judges command the highest respect not by fear, but by fairness, patience, restraint and constitutional humility”.
The communication urged the CJI to intervene at the earliest to ensure that the faith of Bar, particularly young advocates, in the protective and corrective role of the judiciary is restored.
The controversy stems from proceedings on May 5.
According to the BCI, a video circulating online shows Justice Rao rebuking a young advocate who was unable to produce a specific order copy during a hearing.
The letter said that despite the advocate "repeatedly seeking pardon and mercy" and claiming he was in physical pain, the judge remained "unmoved".
The judge allegedly told the lawyer, "now you will learn," and mocked his experience before directing the Registrar and police personnel to take him into custody for 24 hours.
The BCI chairperson said that the judge’s actions lacked proportionality and fairness.
"The dignity of the court is not enhanced when a lawyer is made to beg for grace in open court and is still sent to custody for a procedural lapse," the letter said.
"A young lawyer... is an officer of the Court, still learning, still growing, and entitled to correction without humiliation," it added.
The bar body said that such actions create a "chilling effect" on the legal fraternity, particularly among junior members, and undermine the mutual respect required between the Bench and the Bar.
