Gujarat man booked over Facebook post allegedly critical of RSS
Vinod Gheravda, president of the Upleta Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Gujarat, was arrested for a Facebook post critical of the RSS. He was granted bail.
Gujarat’s Rajkot police on Friday arrested Vinod Gheravda, president of the Upleta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, over his Facebook post allegedly critical of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Police said that Gheravda was presented before the court on Saturday, which granted him bail.
The arrest was made based on a complaint filed by Kaushal Parmar, the RSS president of Upleta taluka in Rajkot district.
According to the first information report (FIR) registered at Upleta police station, Gheravda allegedly made a post on social media that could be categorised as “vulgar”, thereby tarnishing the image of RSS founder Dr Keshav Hedgewar and causing offence to the sentiments of numerous individuals.
According to the complaint, Gheravda wrote on Facebook Hindi: “Jo nidar the wo jung me gaye, jo kayar the woh sangh me gaye” (the brave went to the battlefield, the cowards joined the Sangh), police said.
Complainant Parmar claimed that the intention behind Gheravda’s post was to incite “unrest, fear, and confusion.”
Gheravda has been charged under sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 505 (statements conducive to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 67 (punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act.
“During primary interrogation, Gheravda said he received the post from someone and posted it on Facebook by mistake. He also said that he deleted the post upon realising his mistake. We are investigating the matter,” said another officer at the Upleta police station.
