Court Orders Probe into Swami Prasad Maurya's Remarks on Ramcharitmanas

A court directed police to register a case against former cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya for making objectionable comments about the Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas and Tulsidas. Judge Neeraj Kumar instructed action under Section 156(3) after advocate Ashok Kumar's monitoring petition. Maurya's remarks were made in January 2023.

In a significant legal development, a court has instructed the police to launch an investigation against former cabinet minister and Apna Dal (K) president Swami Prasad Maurya. This directive follows Maurya's alleged objectionable remarks regarding the Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas and its author, Tulsidas, made earlier this year.

The order was issued by Judge Neeraj Kumar of the MP-MLA Court, based on a monitoring petition filed by advocate Ashok Kumar. The court instructed the police to act under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, a provision typically invoked when a formal complaint is filed but not actioned by the police.

Advocate Kumar's earlier petition had been dismissed, prompting the current monitoring petition. The police have been directed to file an FIR and proceed with necessary legal measures, amidst rising tensions over Maurya's controversial statement that called for a review or ban of Ramcharitmanas.

(With inputs from agencies.)