Noida Police questioned journalist Ajeet Bharti over his social media comments after a lawyer attempted to attack Chief Justice BR Gavai.
The Noida Police on Tuesday questioned Ajeet Bharti, an independent journalist, author and social media influencer, over his comments on social media after advocate Rakesh Kishore attempted to hurl a shoe at Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai a day earlier on Monday.
A 71-year-old lawyer attempted to hurl a shoe at Justice Gavai in his courtroom in the Supreme Court, an incident that has drawn widespread condemnation from lawyers and political leaders.
According to Rakesh Kishore, he was unhappy over the CJI’s remarks during a hearing last month concerning the restoration of a Vishnu idol in Khajuraho.
Why was Ajeet Bharti questioned?
According to India Today, Ajeet Bharti, during his podcast, said, “Gavai is a terrible judge who harbors anti-Hindu sentiments.”
He reportedly warned that “if judges continue to make such anti-Hindu remarks, what was attempted in the courtroom today could begin happening to them on the streets as well”.
Sharing a clip of his podcast on X, Bharti wrote in Hindi, “Those who think I am scared of your gang, make sure to watch today’s live! Gawai is a lousy, undeserving judge, and a contempt case should be filed against him.”
The Noida Police said Bharti was first taken to the Sector 58 police station and later to the DCP office at the 12/22 outpost for questioning.
“He was called for an inquiry regarding his recent post on ‘X’. He has not been arrested in connection with the incident,” an officer at Sector 58 police station said.
Bharti, however, claimed that he was summoned to the police station only in connection with one of his recent social media posts.
After the questioning, Bharti posted on ‘X’ that he was “fine” and clarified that he had neither been arrested nor was in police custody.
Ajeet Bharti made two X posts claiming that he had powers behind him.
“The government is ours; the system is ours,” Bharti posted, in Hindi, late evening on October 7.
Just before that, he wrote another X post: “If the entire system were against me, I wouldn’t be out and about, having coffee, roasted almonds, and cashews. The entire system is with me, that is, your system — the system of our ideas. Disagreements will continue to happen, but we are all one, have been, and will remain. I am grateful to all of you. Jai Sri Ram!”
Police officials said further inquiry into the matter is underway.
Bharti, who has over a million followers on his X and YouTube, has been making comments about the CJI’s caste and direct accusations for weeks now. He regularly courts controversies over abusive, allegedly communal and casteist, content on his social media platforms.
Activist writes to attorney general against Ajeet Bharti
Meanwhile, activist Suraj Kumar Bauddh, founder of Mission Ambedkar, has written to attorney general R Venkataramani seeking consent for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against Bharti and a religious orator for allegedly making objectionable statements on social media.
“These statements and actions are aimed at provoking violence against the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India and other judges. The tone and tenor of such public provocation are extremely dangerous, and these posts have gone viral, creating heated debates and escalating tensions,” the letter alleged.
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