‘Godman’ Kalicharan To Be Produced in Pune Court Today in Hate Speech Case

The Chief Judicial Magistrate had ordered Kalicharan to be produced in a Pune court by Thursday, 6 January.

'Sant' Kalicharan was arrested by Raipur Police for making a derogatory speech against Mahatma Gandhi at the Chhattisgarh 'Dharam Sansad'.

(Photo altered by The Quint)

Maharashtra Police on Wednesday, 5 January, took custody of controversial Hindu 'Sant' Kalicharan from Chhattisgarh Police after a court in Raipur granted his transit remand on Tuesday, 4 January, according to news agency ANI.

Self-styled godman Kalicharan, alias Abhijeet Dhananjay Saraag, will be produced in a Pune court on Wednesday. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Bhupendra Kumar Vasnikar had granted his transit remand to the Maharashtra Police on Tuesday.

He was arrested by the Chhattisgarh police on 30 December for making a derogatory speech against Mahatma Gandhi at the 'Dharam Sansad' held in the state.

Raipur police had filed an FIR against the Hindu religious leader at the Tikrapara police station on 26 December under IPC sections 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and 294 (obscene acts) for allegedly using derogatory words against Mahatma Gandhi.

Kalicharan was sentenced to judicial custody till 13 January and on Monday, 3 January, his bail plea was dismissed.

In a video that went viral on social media, Kalicharan was heard saying,

“They (minorities) seized power through politics here. And the great **** Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led us to this ruin. Salutations to Godse ji that he killed that ****.”