Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has informed the Bombay High Court that a total of 67 FIRs have been registered across the state against Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj for his alleged derogatory remarks about Islam and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The remarks were reportedly made during an event in Nashik, sparking outrage and legal action.
During the court proceedings on Monday, the state government also revealed that the cybercrime police have begun removing objectionable material containing these remarks, which had been circulated online.
The case against Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj comes amidst a broader petition, which also includes allegations against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with the religious leader. Petitioners claim that communal incidents in the state have increased since 2014 and have called for accountability from public figures.
The court directed that modifications be made to the petition and scheduled the next hearing for October 17.
