Aurangabad rural files second FIR against Kalicharan Maharaj: Maharashtra

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Sillod rural police station of Aurangabad rural have registered an FIR against Abhijit Dhananjay Sarag alias Kalicharan Maharaj and the organisers of an event, during which Sarag allegedly made a hate speech just three days ago. The event held three days ago in Sillod took place with the organisers violating the conditions put for the event reports Times of India. Hence, the police has stated that the FIR includes the organisers as well as the ones who had obtained permission for the event. “The organisers have been booked as they have violated the permission conditions by letting the speaker deliver hate speech, sing songs capable of causing rift and hatred between communities, and for instigating the audience against members of another community,” said a senior police officer. This is the first FIR where an organisation as also individuals who deliver hate speeches have been named in the criminal complaint.

Speaking to the TOI, Aurangabad rural police officials have stated that adhering to the Supreme Court guidelines asking police units to instantly register FIRs against hate speech, the complaint was registered on Sunday (May 14) evening. The Supreme Court of India has, since October 2022, been hearing yet another petition on hate speech that has, since its orders dated January, February and March 2023, especially also been directed towards curtailing the hate speech in Maharashtra.

CJP is dedicated to finding and bringing to light instances of Hate Speech, so that the bigots propagating these venomous ideas can be unmasked and brought to justice. To learn more about our campaign against hate speech, please become a member. To support our initiatives, please donate now!

Following a complaint lodged by police head constable Yatin Kulkarni, the hate offender organisations and individuals have been booked under different sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth etc), 505 (2) (spreading of false and mischievous news intended to upset the public tranquillity), 109 (abetment) and section 188 (disobeying orders duly promulgated by a public servant).

Citizens for Justice and Peace has been continually, since December 2022 consistently lodging preemptive and post hate event complaints with jurisdictional police, the Director General of Police (DGP), district collectors and even elected representatives. This is a part of the well-rounded Hate Hatao Desh Bachao campaign launched by our teams. Apart from sending complaints by email and registered posts, on ground delegations of sister organisations have also gone to jurisdictional police in both Thane (CP, Jai Jeet Singh, May 8, 2023) and Jalgaon, May 15, 2023.

This is the ninth FIR filed. Four FIRs against T Raja Singh, suspended BJP MLA from Telangana, two against Kajal Hindustani, one against Suresh Chavhanke of Sudarshan news and in all two against Kalicharan Maharaj alias Abhijit Dhananjay Sarag.

Team CJP has compiled a table of FIRs so far filed in Maharashtra (Since December 2022)

Related:

Three separate benches of the Indian Supreme Court interrogate hate speech