Now, UP Police seeks comedian Munawar Faruqui’s custody, lodged in MP jail though police said ‘no evidence’

An advocate in UP lodged a case against Faruqui back in April 2019 saying he saw videos on social media in which he made derogatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Hindu deities

Now, UP Police seeks comedian Munawar Faruqui’s custody, lodged in MP jail though police said ‘no evidence’
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NH Web Desk

Even as Indore Superintendent of Police has gone on record saying that stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui had not made any jokes about Hindu deities or even begun his performance when he was arrested on January 1 – after which he continues to be behind bars – UP Police has submitted a production warrant for him in an Indore court in connection with a case dating back to April last year.

The Indore Police had said on January 4 that there was no visual evidence to show that Faruqui had insulted Hindu deities, but despite the lack of concrete evidence, courts have twice rejected Faruqui’s bail pleas, stating that his release would disrupt law and order, Scroll reported.

Madhya Pradesh High Court had on January 15 adjourned the comedian’s bail plea after the police failed to produce the case diary and listed the matter for hearing on January 22.

UP Police submitted the warrant before a court in Indore and the city’s central jail where Faruqui is lodged, the Hindustan Times reported, quoting station house officer of George Town police station in Prayagraj, Shishupal Sharma.


Sharma was quoted as saying that an advocate had lodged the case against the comedian on April 19, 2020 under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 65 and 66 of the Information Technology Act, 2008.

The complainant had alleged that he had seen videos on social media in which Faruqui made derogatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and hurt religious sentiments by making remarks against Hindu deities, UP Police said.

On January 14, Article 14 had carried a report quoting Indore SP Vijay Khatri saying that Faruqui had not made any jokes about Hindu deities, or even begun his performance when his arrested by MP Police. Khatri said that the arrest was made on basis of a complaint by Eklavya Singh Gaur, chief of Hindutva group Hind Rakshak Sangathan, who claimed that he had overheard jokes during rehearsal. However, the police officer said that the lack of video evidence or otherwise, was not a concern.

“Doesn’t really matter,” Khatri told the website. “There was ruckus at the venue even before Faruqui could perform. But, we were told [by the complainants] that they [the comedians] were cracking jokes about Ram and Shiv ji [the Hindu deities] while rehearsing.” He said it was wrong to ask for Faruqui’s release simply because he did not perform any of his jokes, pointing out the comedian’s ‘intention’ to do so.

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