IT News
Mumbai, June 19:
The Pydhonie police (south Mumbai) has registered an FIR against television news anchor Amish Devgan for hurting religious sentiments by referring to Sufi saint Moinuddin Chisti in derogatory terms during a programme.
On his show on 15 June, Devgan had used the term ‘Lootera Chisti’ (‘Chisti the robber’), inviting furious reactions from the Muslim community throughout the country.
The FIR was registered, based on a complaint given by the Raza Academy on Wednesday. In a written complaint the Raza Academy general secretary Arif Razvi demanded action Devgan. “The case has been registered and further action will be taken after the video of the show in question is analysed,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Rajiv Jain said.
Raza Academy chief Muhammad Saeed Noori thanked the Mumbai Police for understanding the seriousness of the issue and immediately registering the FIR. He also urged the Mumbai Police Commissioner to arrest the “slanderer” for promoting hatred amongst communities and hurting the sentiments of millions of Muslims worldwide.
Another FIR was registered at Nirmal Nagar Police station at Bandra in North West Mumbai on Thursday, by Congress MLA Zeeshan Baba Siddique. The MLA also met Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and demanded action against Devgan.
The police have booked Devgan for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony under the Indian Penal Code.
Subsequently Devgan tendered an apology on Twitter, saying that he was actually referring to Mughal ruler “Alauddin Khilji” but instead ended up naming Chisti, also known as “Khwaja Gareeb Nawaaz” (benefactor of the poor). He also said in his tweet that he has himself sought the saint’s blessings in the past.
