Stand-up Comedian, Munawar Faruqui was arrested in Indore on Saturday along with four others after the son of a BJP MLA filed a complaint accusing them of passing ‘indecent remarks’ about Hindu Deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a New Year Show.
Eklavya Singh Gauri, son of a local BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaur is the one who filed the complaint in the court about the show. He also claims that he and his associates forced the organizers to stop the show after they heard the indecent comments.
People Arrested
The people that have been arrested were identified as Edwin Anthony, Prakhar Vyas, Priyam Vyas, and Nalin Yadav.
Charges against the Stand-up Comedians
The four have been booked under section 295-A (outraging religious feelings), section 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread infection of any disease dangerous to life), and other relevant provision under IPC. The accused persons have been booked under section 260 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly ignoring COVID-19 safety protocols.
The comedy show was held at a café in 56 Dukan Area of Indore on Friday, as stated by the Police.
“A case was filed late on Friday night against Munawar Faruqui, a resident of Junagadh in Gujarat and four Indore-based persons based on a written complaint filed by Gaur” said the Inspector in-charge of the Tukoganj Police Station.
The show mocked Hindu deities by passing indecent comments.
Godhra Incident and Amit Shah
The Godhra incident and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were also mentioned inappropriately.
We shot a video and stopped the show by taking the audience out of the cafe,” Gaur told reporters. “Then we caught the comedians and organizers of the show and took them to Tukoganj police station,” he said.
Opposite Claims by Audience
However, as opposed to the registered complaint, a person who claimed to have attended the show said that neither did Faruqui said anything targeting any particular religion now were his jokes derogatory.
Some of the media reports which were released also stated that the stand-up comedian was thrashed by a group called “Hindu Rakshak” during the ruckus in the café, but Gaur denied every such claim.
During the argument, where Advocate Anshuman Shrivastava while representing Faruqui in the court, said that the FIR has been registered with a political motive and cited the Constitutional Provisions of Freedom of Speech which is provided to the citizens of India as one of the Fundamental Rights in order to defend the Comedian(s).
However, the comedian has been denied bail by the Local Court. Chief Justice Magistrate Aman Singh Bhuria refused to grant bail to Faruqui and others.
They have been remanded in judicial custody till January 13’ 2021.
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