Actor booked for hurting sentiments of Dera followers

Sushil Manav

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Tribune News Service

Fatehabad, December 31

The police today registered an FIR against actor Kiku Sharda, better known for his character ‘Palak’ he plays in Comedy Nights with Kapil, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Dera Sacha Sauda followers.

The case was registered despite Additional District Attorney Rajender Kukreja saying that no case was made out in Fatehabad since the production, release and telecast of the programme in question took place in Noida.

Raghvendra Sharda, aka Kiku, has been booked under Section 295-A of the IPC (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

Dera followers alleged Kiku hurt their religious sentiments by mimicking their sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a TV programme Jashn-e-Umeed aired on December 27. They also wanted the channel owner booked.

“The police have assured us if any more names come to the fore, they will be added to the FIR automatically,” said Hemant Chugh.

Dera followers, who laid siege to the city police station yesterday, had started gathering at the Dera’s “Sangat Ghar” since morning. They threatened to block Laal Batti Chowk on the national highway, if an FIR was not registered.

After efforts to convince them to lift the dharna failed, a delegation met the SP and a revised complaint was filed and Kiku booked.