Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Comedian Nalin Yadav from Madhya Pradesh has accused "some known affiliates of the ruling party" of harassing him and his younger brother for the past three years. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied these allegations on Tuesday, calling them an attempt by the 28-year-old comedian to gain cheap popularity.
Yadav's claims came after the administration sent him a notice about a problem he had two months ago with someone in Pithampur, a town 40 km away. The notice, given by a local official using a legal rule called Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), asks Yadav to explain why he shouldn't be asked to sign a document promising to keep the peace.
Yadav, a resident of Pithampur, was one of four people arrested alongside comedian Munawar Faruqui on January 1, 2021. This followed a complaint that objectionable remarks were made about Hindu deities during a comedy show at a cafe in Indore. The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court granted Yadav interim bail on February 26, 2021.
In an Instagram post late Sunday, Yadav stated, "In my hometown, I have a new identity as an anti-nationalist. There are a few people who are relatives and known affiliates of the ruling party, who have been harassing my brother and me for three years now." He further alleged that since his release from jail, he has not been able to stay home for more than three days in two years due to continuous harassment by local goons.
According to state BJP spokesperson Alok Dubey, the comedian was spreading false propaganda against the party to gain cheap publicity through social media.
According to police officials, a person named Sawan Singh Dabar allegedly assaulted Yadav in Pithampur on March 24 this year over an "old enmity," leading to an FIR against Dabar for assault, abuse, and issuing threats. Dabar also lodged a complaint of assault against Yadav.
Due to the ongoing tension between Yadav and Dabar, the police requested the notice to both parties to maintain peace. Yadav's lawyer, Ashar Warsi, mentioned that they were considering legal options against the notice issued to the comedian.
Following a complaint by Nalin Yadav's younger brother Akash, an FIR was registered on November 21, 2023, at Sector Number-1 police station of Pithampur against local residents Uday Raghuvanshi and Krishna Thakur for assault, abuse, and issuing threats over an old dispute. The comedian alleges that different individuals from the same group in the Pithampur area have been constantly harassing him and his younger brother.
