Police book TV news anchor for insulting Sufi saint

The police have registered a criminal case against an anchor of a Hindi news channel for hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims by allegedly insulting a renowned Sufi saint.

The Pydhonie police on Wednesday registered an FIR against Amish Devgan of News 18 India channel under sections 295A, 153A and 505 (2) of the IPC.

The complainant, Mohammed Imran, joint secretary in the Mumbai office of Raza Academy, said in his complaint that the anchor, during a debate aired on June 15, passed derogatory a remark against the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and has hurt the sentiments of Muslims. “His deliberate and malicious acts were intended to outrage religious feelings of a community by insulting its religion or religious beliefs,” said Imran.

In his defense, Devgan on Wednesday tweeted an apology, “In 1 of my debates, I inadvertently referred to ‘Khilji’ as Chishti. I sincerely apologise for this grave error and the anguish it may have caused to followers of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, whom I revere. I have in the past sought blessings at his dargah. I regret this error.”