Yati Narsinghanand (second from right) is co-accused in Haridwar hate speech case. (File)
Dehradun: A Haridwar court on Sunday sent Yati Narsinghanand, organiser of the controversial Dharma Sansad in Haridwar, to 14-day judicial custody for making derogatory comments against women. He has been booked under Sections 295 (A) and 509 of the Indian Penal Code and sent to Roshnabad Jail, Haridwar police station SHO Rakinder Singh Kathait said.
Section 295 (A) deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs while section 509 deals with a word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.
Yati Narsinghanand, the head priest of the Dasna temple in Ghaziabad, was picked up on Saturday night from Sarvanand Ghat of the Ganga, where he was staging a 'satyagraha' against the arrest of another accused in Dharma Sansad hate speech case Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, earlier known as Waseem Rizvi.
Meanwhile, quoting the police NDTV reported that Yati Narsinghanand was arrested for objectionable remarks on women, and not for hate speech at the Dharam Sansad or religious assembly.
He has been issued a notice in the hate speech case also, the police said, adding that he will be remanded in that case too.
"Yati Narsinghanand has been arrested for derogatory comments against women, not the Haridwar hate speech case right now. He has been issued a notice in that case so far. He will be remanded for the hate speech case too, the procedure is on. We will include the hate speech case details also in the remand application," the police official said.
Quoting sources, NDTV also reports the current case against Narsinghanand - relating to misogyny - is based on a complaint filed earlier this month for his objectionable and derogatory remarks against women of other religions. The FIR invokes hate speech charges, in addition to charges of insulting women.
However, it does not pertain to the hate speeches at the Dharam Sansad in Haridwar, says NDTV report. Yati Narsinghanand is among the people named in the FIRs lodged over hate speeches at the Haridwar "Dharma Sansad" or religious assembly last month
Some of the speakers at the Dharma Sansad, held from December 17-19, are accused of delivering hate speeches against a particular community.
Two FIRs are lodged in Haridwar against more than ten people, including Narasinghanand and Tyagi in this connection.
A special investigation team is probing the case.