CM window animator, BJP leader arrested in 9-month-old case

Hisar: The cybercrime police in Fatehabad arrested two persons, including a CM window animator and a BJP functionary, in connection with a nearly nine-month-old case related to alleged objectionable remarks posted on social media against an advocate representing a sedition accused. The two were later released on bail.The accused were identified as Lalit Kumar, a resident of Fatehabad, and Dhananjay Narayan of Bhodia Khera village. Police officials said the duo was associated with the BJP. Narayan reportedly works as a CM window animator. The case was registered on the complaint filed by advocate Vinay Sharma, former president of the Fatehabad District Bar Association.According to advocate Sharma, he had initially submitted a complaint to the superintendent of police, but no FIR was registered. Subsequently he approached the court, after which an FIR was registered on the directions of the chief judicial magistrate, Fatehabad.As per the complaint, following news of a reported ceasefire between India and Pakistan on May 10, Mushtaq Ahmed alias Dr Taj Mohammad — a traditional healer from Fatehabad — uploaded three videos on Facebook. In these videos, he allegedly portrayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as having made a grave mistake and claimed that Pakistan had achieved victory.In response, BJP leaders, including Fatehabad district vice president Jagdish Rai Sharma, mandal president Vikas Sharma and mandal vice-president Paramjeet Beniwal, submitted a complaint at City police station. Acting on their complaint, the police registered a sedition case against Taj Mohammad. Advocate Vinay Sharma appeared as counsel for him in the case.Sharma alleged that on May 20, 2025, a person identified as Layak Ram Garhwal posted a message in a WhatsApp group claiming that a Congress-affiliated lawyer was representing a "traitor". He stated that despite group members objecting, Garhwal continued posting similar remarks.On May 21, 2025, Sharma came across another post on the Facebook account of Dhananjay Agarwal, which carried a photograph of Mushtaq Ahmed. The post suggested that a lawyer with Congress or leftist ideology would represent him and claimed that such individuals operated through a wide network and received funding from various sources. Sharma alleged that the post further stated that some people "forget patriotism for funding" and would praise the accused.He said in the comment section, a person identified as Sajjan Godara, described as an accountant, wrote that a "surgical strike" was also required in such cases. Screenshots of these posts were attached with the complaint.During court proceedings, an action-taken report was sought from the cybercrime police. The initial report stated that no cognisable offence appeared to have been committed. However, police later submitted statements of the accused in which they admitted their mistake and said they had no intention of committing an offence.Following this, the court ordered registration of the FIR and directed the police to investigate the matter.MSID:: 129215211 413 |