Mumbai doctor released on bail after 'anti-Hindu' post

Dr Nishad, a Mumbai based doctor has reportedly received bail after he was arrested last week after he was alleged to have made ‘anti-Hindu’ statements. He has maintained that his statement did not intend to hurt any religious sentiment, The Indian Express reported.

An FIR was filed against a Mumbai based doctor on May 11, after he allegedly posted ‘anti-Hindu’ and ‘anti-Brahmanical’ posts on Facebook. He is said to have made derogatory remarks against BJP’s Bhopal candidate Pragya Thakur. The complaint was filed by a Shiv Sena activist who identifies himself as Ravindra Tewari.

Over the past few days, he kept posting derogatory posts, so we decided to approach the police and give a written application,” Tewari told the Indian Express.

“Based on the statement given by Tiwari, we registered an FIR 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],” said senior Inspector Vilas Jadhav.

The magistrate court in Vikhroli heard Dr Nishad on Thursday. The prosecutor had demanded two-days in police custody but he was eventually granted bail.

“What he posted online hurt my religious feelings. Through others, I had told him to stop putting up such posts but he continued doing so for the past two years. Recently, when someone I knew went to him for treatment, he again started telling him these things. That is when I decided to lodge a complaint.” Tewari said.

“I don’t even know who the complainant is. There was no intention of hurting anyone’s religious beliefs. Whatever I said was based on facts and, in some cases, High Court orders which I have read. If anyone had any problem, they should have countered me on facts or spoken to me,” Dr Sunil Kumar Nishad told the Indian Express after receiving his bail.