Jan 14 2016 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
Nitasha Natu & Manvir Saini
MumbaiChandigarh
TNN
Television actor Kiku Sharda’s arrest by Haryana police late on Tuesday for “hurting religious sentiments“ of a follower of godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, sparked outrage on social networking sites. Sharda was picked up by Haryana’s Kaithal police from the sets of a TV show in Film City , Goregaon East. On Wednesday , Kaithal chief judicial magistrate Nandita Kaushik sent him to judicial custody . Sharda was later released on a bond of Rs 1lakh.
Immediately after he was released, Fatehabad police took him into custody as there was a similar case filed against him in that police station. Fatehabad superintendent of police O P Narwal said Sharda was released after completing formalities late in the evening.
Sharda had mimicked the godman, who heads the Sirsabased Dera Sacha Sauda, during another TV show on De cember 27, 2015. He apologized for the act the next day on his Twitter account. On January 1, 2016, a Dera Sacha Sauda follower, Dalsher Singh, registered a police complaint at Kaithal against Sharda and seven of his co-actors. The complaint said that Sharda’s act showed the godman in poor light and hurt the sentiments of his followers. “On the show, an actor dressed like Gurmeet Ram Rahim is shown drinking, dancing with women and asking for donations. Dera Sacha Sauda is strictly against drinking or use of any kind of intoxicants. No donations are demanded from anybody ,“ Dalsher said in the FIR.
Thereafter, Kaithal police made inquiries about the show and its cast. “They tracked down Sharda’s location to Film City and asked for our assistance,“ said Vilas Chavan, senior inspector, Aarey Colony police.Around 11.30pm, after Sharda had wrapped up his shoot, the waiting police team picked him up and flew him to Haryana.
The other actors booked in the case include Gaurav Gera, Ali Asgar, Rajeev Thakur, Pooja Banerjee, Mouni Roy , Gautam Gulati and Sana Khan. “The other actors will appear before the Haryana court within a week’s time,“ said lawyers Shreyansh Mithare and Nihar Garg who represent Sharda.