Marathi daily booked over ‘derogatory’ caricature on god

An FIR has been registered against the editor, the cartoonist, the reporter and two owners of a Marathi newspaper for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a minority community by drawing a derogatory caricature of their god.

On the same day the newspaper unconditionally apologised online and said appropriate action has been taken against their employees.

The apology stated, “It was an unintentional mistake and we had no intention of hurting our brothers from the community.”

According to the Kondhawa police, the newspaper on its front page in Sunday’s edition carried the photograph along with a story based on Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). On the objectionable photograph some words in Urdu were written, which hurt the religious sentiments of the minority community.

Soon after, the newspaper put up an apology on their website. A person from the minority community approached the Kondhawa police where a First Information Report was registered against the newspaper’s graphic designer and assistant editor under sections 295 A (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police inspector Anjum Bagwan from Kondhawa police station confirmed the development, adding the case has been transferred to Deccan police station as the newspaper’s office is in their jurisdiction. Senior police inspector P.A. Chougule from Deccan police confirmed no arrests have been made.