Sanatana Dharma Hate Speech: Jammu Court Orders Enquiry On Complaint Seeking FIR Against Udhayanidhi Stalin

A Special Magistrates Court in Delhi has ordered an enquiry on the speech of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin against Sanatana Dharma, upon a complaint filed before it seeking FIR against the Minister for his remarks. The SSP of Jammu has been appointed as the Enquiry Officer for conducting enquiry under Section 202 of the CrPC, by an order passed on Wednesday. 

The Complaint was filed by one Atul Raina and two Advocates of the J&K High Court, Pankaj Sharma and Nikhil Narayana Sharma and the order was passed by the Court of Special Mobile Magistrate, Jammu. "I have heard the Ld. Counsel for the complainants and perused the entire record on the file. I deem it fit to at first ascertain the truthfulness of the contents pend down in the complaint and hence issue of process against the accused is hereby postponed", the Court said in its order.

The Court ordered that the SSP of Jammu should conduct an enquiry and file an enquiry report before the next date of hearing which is fixed on October 20. 

An FIR has already been registered in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh against Udhayanidhi Stalin and Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for their alleged hate speech against Sanatan Dharma. The Supreme Court has issued notice on a plea seeking action against the organisers of the conference where the controversial remarks were made by Stalin. 

Four pleas are presently pending before the Apex Court relating to the issue, only one of which has been considered by the Court. The rest are in the form of interlocutory applications in the batch of cases relating to hate speech. 

Earlier, a letter was addressed to Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud by a group of concerned individuals including the retired Judges of several High Courts and bureaucrats seeking judicial intervention of the Apex Court in the matter of hate speech made by Udhayanidhi Stalin. Various others across the country have approached authorities seeking FIR against Stalin.

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