Seven days after four persons from Ranu village in Vadodara’s Padra taluka were booked for allegedly recording and circulating a video with communally sensitive messages via social media, they were booked under charges of sedition (IPC 124 (a)).
The accused identified as Salim Malek, who made the speeches, Iqbal Chauhan, Sameer Iqbal Ahmed Malek and Javed Malek — who recorded the video and can be heard prompting from behind — were earlier booked under IPC sections 153 (a) (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.), 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 295 (a) (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 298 (Uttering, words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person).
“The videos were categorically derogatory towards women and the members of a particular community. In the video, they are even heard saying that they will make India like Pakistan. Based on this, we added the charges of sedition and produced them in court,” said Investigating Officer (IO) Samat Karmur.
On being quipped about why the charges were added later, Vadodara rural Superintendent of Poilce, Sudhir Desai said, “We observed that the man is saying that they wish to change India into Pakistan and these words can attract IPC 124 (a). In the course of the investigation, the IO has the power to amend the IPC sections as per the provision of the law. It is the prerogative of the IO and so, he added it.”
On Monday, the accused were produced before court, after their six days police remand ended, and sent to judicial custody.
In a three-part video of around 30 seconds each, the accused is seen sitting in an open farm and abusing members of the Hindu community over recent incidents of violence in cases of chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and making derogatory comments towards women. The video which went viral earlier this month shows the accused talking in Hindi, saying that the Muslim community in Gujarat will never recite the chant. He further says that if they wish, they can make India into Pakistan, continuing the statement by abusing women.
In a complaint submitted by another person from the same village, it is alleged that such videos can disrupt the peace in the neighbourhood and spread hatred among the communities.