Maharashtra News: VHP Protests Man's 'Illegal' Arrest For Bailable Offence By Shivadi Police

Mumbai: Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad gathered at Shivadi police station on Sunday afternoon to submit a memorandum against what they alleged was the 'illegal" arrest of a man accused of outraging religious feelings through a social media post.

The man, Sanjay Chaudhary, a local resident, had been served a notice under section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2024, after he used a comment by a person who calls himself an 'ex-Muslim' as a status update on his own social media account. Deputy commissioner of police, port zone, Vijaykant Sagar, met the VHP members and recorded their grievances.

The Sunday protest was in response to an incident on October 2, 2025, when around 400 to 500 people gathered near the police station to protest against alleged videos on Prophet Mohammad that had been released on social media by Chaudhary.

Rajeev Chaubey, Mumbai city secretary of VHP, said that Chaudhary had merely used a video uploaded earlier by another person. “The video talked about rules of marriage given in an ayat or para in the chapter Surah Al-Ahzad of the Koran. When we later checked whether there was anything offensive in the video, we found that such an ayat existed. If such an ayat exists, why was Chaudhary detained for 24 hours for a crime that he did not commit? If the post is offensive, why have the police not filed a case against the person who created the original post?” asked Chaubey.

In a complaint to the Sewri police station, Mohan Salekar, province minister, VHP, said that police had succumbed to pressure from the crowd and filed a case under section 299, a bailable offence, without any reason. Salekar said that people were instigated to gather at Sewri police station.

“We expect answers from the officers at the police station. There is no reason for a case to be registered against the youth. Do the officers at Sewri police station work on constitutional grounds or under the pressure from a mob” asked Salekar who added that Chaudhary was intimidated and forced to apologise for no fault of his. “The mob shot a video of him apologising in the presence of the police and made it viral on social media.”

Rohit Khot, senior inspector of Shivadi police station, said that Chaudhary had been detained as a precautionary measure to prevent a law and order problem. “On Sunday, we were told that whatever Chaudhary said is written in the Koran. But when Muslims complained, we had to detain him. He was later given bail. The VHP has submitted a memorandum and we have assured them that we will look into the complaints,” said Khot.

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Published on: Sunday, October 05, 2025, 09:34 PM IST