Religious Posts – Raipur Police Register FIR Over Alleged Social Media Remarks

Religious Posts –Raipur police have registered a case after complaints were filed over alleged derogatory social media posts concerning Hindu deities and religious practices. The FIR was lodged at Civil Lines Police Station against two people following allegations that the online content could hurt religious sentiments and affect communal harmony.

Complaint Leads to Police Action

The complaint was submitted by Amit Chimnani, a BJP state spokesperson, along with party workers and several local residents. The complainants approached the police over posts that they claimed contained objectionable references to Hindu beliefs and traditions.

Police subsequently registered the FIR and began examining the social media material cited in the complaint. The case has brought attention to the legal limits surrounding online statements about religion and the potential consequences of posts considered inflammatory.

Facebook Posts Under Investigation

According to the FIR, Hansraj Goyal is accused of publishing controversial remarks on his Facebook account questioning aspects of Hindu religious beliefs. The complaint alleges that his posts referred to several Hindu deities, including Lord Shiva, Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Lord Vishnu, Lord Hanuman, Indra, Brahma and Lord Ganesh.

The police case records the allegations made by the complainants. The claims contained in the complaint are yet to be established through the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings.

Second Person Named in Complaint

The complaint also refers to a comment allegedly posted by Arun Pannalal, who is identified as the president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum. According to the police complaint, the comment appeared in the discussion connected to the original Facebook post and was considered offensive by the complainants.

Chimnani told police that the remarks had caused distress among Hindu devotees and Sanatan followers. He further alleged that the material was intended to create hostility between communities and could have an adverse impact on public order.

Charges Invoked Under BNS

Following the complaint, Sub-Inspector Chitrakha Sahu registered the case at Civil Lines Police Station. The accused have been booked under Sections 196, 299 and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with applicable provisions of the Information Technology Act.

The sections cited in the FIR relate to matters including promoting enmity between groups, deliberate acts aimed at outraging religious feelings and statements that may contribute to public mischief or hatred.

Police Begin Further Investigation

Police have started investigating the allegations and are examining the social media posts and comments mentioned in the complaint. The investigation is expected to establish the context of the disputed material, the circumstances in which it was published and whether the allegations meet the requirements of the sections applied in the FIR.

The registration of an FIR marks the beginning of the legal investigation and does not by itself establish the guilt of the accused. Further action will depend on the findings of the police investigation and the evidence collected during the process.