The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that 67 FIRs have been registered across the state against religious leader Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) at a Nashik event.
The state also reported that the cybercrime police have been actively working to take down online content featuring these objectionable remarks.
This development came on Monday during a hearing on a petition seeking action against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for sharing a stage with Ramgiri Maharaj after the religious leader had been booked in multiple cases.
The petition, filed by advocate Mohammad Wasi Sayed and others, raised concerns about an alleged increase in communal incidents since 2014. The petitioners argued that certain Islamophobic practices were being perpetuated by state and Union governments, leading to mob violence, riots, and the marginalisation of the Muslim community.
During the hearing, petitioners also highlighted that no action had been taken against BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, who was accused of delivering inflammatory speeches. They argued that instead of taking steps against Ramgiri Maharaj, the Chief Minister publicly supported him by sharing a stage and declaring that saints would be protected.
The bench, comprising Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan, noted that the court is already addressing petitions to remove Ramgiri Maharaj’s videos and to file FIRs against Rane. While the bench acknowledged the police's efforts to register FIRs, it clarified that simply sharing a stage does not automatically warrant legal action unless there is clear malicious intent. The court advised the petitioners to avoid politicising the matter.
The High Court directed the petitioners to revise their plea, removing all respondents except for the cybercrime and local police authorities, and scheduled the next hearing for October 17.