Hindu seer Kalicharan Maharaj has been granted bail by Pune court on Friday in an inflammatory speech case on a surety amount of Rs 25,000. However, he will continue to remain in judicial custody for his alleged derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi, news agency ANI reported. Meanwhile, the Pune Police are sending him back to Chattisgarh.
For the unversed, a court in Pune on Thursday had remanded Kalicharan Maharaj in judicial custody.
He was produced in the court after his one-day police custody got over. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) M A Shaikh remanded him in judicial custody.
The police did not press for more custody.
Pune Police had arrested Kalicharan alias Abhijit Sarag from Raipur.
A case has been registered against Kalicharan Maharaj, right-wing leader Milind Ekbote, Captain (retired) Digendra Kumar and others at Khadak police station in Pune.
They are accused of making inflammatory speeches and hurting religious sentiments during 'Shiv Pratap Din' program organised by Ekbote-led Hindu Aghadi outfit on December 19, 2021, to celebrate the killing of Adilshahi commander Afzal Khan by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1659.
The FIR was registered under IPC sections 295 (A) (outraging religious feelings), 298 (deliberate intention of wounding religious feelings) and 505 (2) (false statement, rumour made in place of worship, etc, with intent to create enmity).
As per the FIR, all the accused made speeches with an intention to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and Christians and to create a communal rift.
Earlier, Kalicharan Maharaj had been arrested by Raipur police in Chhattisgarh for making derogatory comments about Mahatma Gandhi.
(With PTI inputs)
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