Court rejects Anticipatory Bail to Doctor Facing Arrest over Facebook Post on Hanuman Chalisa

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing controversy in Maharashtra regarding Hanuman Chalisa, a Sessions Court in Mumbai recently rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a dental surgeon, who is facing arrest because of his Facebook post on this issue.

The 41-year-old dental surgeon got booked by Sakinaka police station after he allegedly questioned in his Facebook Post how people selling their religion and chanting "hallelujah hallelujah" are trying to teach Hanuman Chalisa. "Hallelujah hallelujah" is a sacred Bible word meaning "praise of the lord."

Police booked the doctor as his post allegedly added fuel to the enmity between two religious groups. His anticipatory bail plea got rejected by the Sessions Court as it noted that being a doctor, he might be aware of the consequences of his post.

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As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, another post of the doctor read, "who are you to teach Hindus the benefits of Hanuman Chalisa being a person who chants hallelujah hallelujah".

After coming across the concerned Facebook post, the complainant lodged a complaint and Sakinaka Police Station booked the doctor.

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When the dental surgeon, Dr. Abhishek Rai approached the Sessions Court with an anticipatory bail plea, the court noted that the it was necessary to take the accused in custody and interrogate in order to find out if other people or a group were responsible behind such a post on social media.

Therefore, rejecting the anticipatory bail plea of the doctor, the Mumbai Sessions Court noted, "Being a doctor, he must know the consequences of his posts."

The Hanuman Chalisa controversy in Maharashtra took a political turn and an Independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana had got arrested following their public declaration of reciting the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence 'Matoshree' in Bandra area, adds PTI.

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