Kozhikode: Celebrity makeup artist and former Bigg Boss contestant Janmoni has been arrested by Kozhikode Cyber Police following a complaint alleging that she insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP leader and Mahila Morcha state president Navya Haridas filed the complaint.
Police alleged in the FIR that Janmoni made defamatory and insulting remarks about the Prime Minister with the intention of creating unrest and disturbing communal harmony. The remarks were made in the context of the protests at Jantar Mantar and were perceived as targeting both Modi and his late mother.
Janmoni was arrested after the case was registered, though she is expected to be released on station bail as the offences invoked are bailable.
Following the case's registration, Janmoni publicly expressed regret for her remarks in an Instagram video. She said she had not intended to hurt anyone and claimed that her comments had been misunderstood because of her difficulty speaking Malayalam. She also clarified that she had not intended to make a statement about Modi’s mother.
Janmoni said she later checked the matter online and realised that what she had said was incorrect, acknowledging that she should have verified the information before remarking. She apologised for any offence caused and sought forgiveness.
The apology, however, has failed to satisfy the Mahila Morcha. The organisation maintained that apologising after making an objectionable statement could not erase the alleged wrongdoing.
The case has now brought Janmoni’s controversial remarks, subsequent apology and the BJP’s response into sharper public focus.