The court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Ernakulam, on the basis of a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Anoop Antony, last week directed the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) by the Cyber Crime Police Station, Kochi, against a Muslim cleric, Waseem Al Hikami, over certain objectionable comments made by the latter on the birth of Jesus Christ sometime around the festival of Christmas in 2021.
The FIR, dated June 28, 2022, has been filed citing Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295A (outraging religious sentiments), and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief), all under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Mr. Antony said that “many people had complained” about the remarks which were, he said, derogatory to Jesus Christ and offensive, but “no legal proceedings were undertaken”.
“Following that I had handed over a complaint directly to the Director General of Police of the State and had also registered a petition in the Ernakulam Cyber Cell. The response was not as I expected and I approached the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate and the honourable court directed that the matter needed to be addressed, following which the State police registered an FIR,” he said. “The Kerala Police under the current government had speedily arrested P.C. George under similar circumstances, but hasn’t done anything with regard to this case,” he added.
Mr. Antony made it clear that he would be pursuing the case further till it is resolved.
Mr. Al Hakimi had in January been booked by the Cyber Crime Police Station in Kottayam based on a complaint by a person named Abel Francis.
