A court in the Chhattisgarh capital Raipur granted transit remand of controversial Hindu religious leader Kalicharan Maharaj, who was arrested by the state police for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Mahatma Gandhi at a conclave, to the Maharashtra police on Tuesday.
The court of chief judicial magistrate Bhupendra Kumar Vasnikar granted the transit remand of Kalicharan Maharaj to the Maharashtra police.
The Hindu seer faces separate cases in his home state Maharashtra for his alleged derogatory comments against the Father of the Nation and also for making inflammatory remarks during an event in Pune in December.
The CJM ordered the police team to produce Kalicharan Maharaj, who hails from Akola city in eastern Maharashtra, in a Pune court by January 6.
The Raipur police apprehended Kalicharan Maharaj alias Abhijeet Dhananjay Saraag from a rented room near Bageshwar Dham, located about 25 km from Khajuraho town in Madhya Pradesh, on December 30.
On December 26, an FIR was registered against the seer at the Tikrapara police station in Raipur under IPC Sections 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and 294 (obscene acts) for allegedly using derogatory words against Mahatma Gandhi.
Later, the police added Section 124A (sedition) and four other sections of the IPC in the case.
The case in Chhattisgarh stemmed from his remarks at a two-day dharma sansad (religious parliament) that concluded in Raipur on December 26.
At the conclave, the seer had allegedly used abusive words against the Father of the Nation, and asked people to elect a staunch Hindu leader as the head of the government in order to protect the religion.
A case has been registered against the religious leader in Akola, while Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad has filed a separate police complaint in Thane city against him over his alleged remarks against Mahatma Gandhi.
The Pune police also recently registered a case against Kalicharan Maharaj, right-wing leader Milind Ekbote and four others for allegedly making inflammatory speeches during an event on December 19, officials have said.
