Kanpur ‘qawwal’ arrested for makingobjectionable remark against nation

Kanpur: A city-based qawwal,

Sharif

Parwaz, who allegedly made objectionable remarks about the country at an ‘urs’ organized in Mangawan area of

Rewa

district in Madhya Pradesh recently, was arrested in Kanpur Dehat on Monday.The Beconganj police of Kanpur commissionerate and the Rewa police arrested him in the early hours. Soon thereafter, he was taken to Rewa, produced in a court and sent to jail.Parwaz lives with his family in Hiraman Purwa of Beconganj police station area in the city. On March 28, in an ‘urs’ organized by Eidgah Committee in Malakpur Talab area in Rewa, Parwaz was purportedly heard saying, “Agar Garib Nawaz chah le to Hindustan pata hi nahi chalega kahan par basa tha, kahan par tha (If Garib Nawaz wishes, it won’t be known where India existed).” Local BJP MLA Panchu Lal Prajapati was the chief guest in this programme. When the video of the event went viral on social media, the Mangawan police registered a case against Sharif on March 30.After the event, Sharif had returned to Kanpur. After coming to know about the FIR, he went underground.The Rewa police had been camping in Kanpur in search of him since March 31.ACP Anwarganj Akmal

Khan

said, “After receiving specific inputs that Qawwal Sharif is present at his hideout, the police raided the place and arrested him and took him to Rewa.”Dilip Kumar Dahiya, station in-charge Mangawan, Rewa told media persons, “For the arrest of the qawwal, my team was continuously raiding his hideouts in Kanpur. Finally, on Monday morning, he was arrested from his hideout.”He added, “A complaint in this regard was made by

Vikas Gupta

at Mangawan police station on March 30. Parwaz has been booked under sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot) and 298 (deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person) of the IPC.”