Malvinder Singh Mali, the political adviser to erstwhile Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, was arrested from Patiala on Monday for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments.
Mali was booked following the complaint of Amit Jain of Aero City.
Jain, a cow sewak, had accused Mali of hurting Hindu sentiments by speaking against their religious beliefs.
“I heard Mali speaking against Hindu religion. He has hurt Hindu sentiments through his statements which can lead to a law-and-order situation. He should be arrested immediately,” Jain told police.
A senior police officer said Mali was arrested by the Mohali CIA team from Patiala following Jain’s complaint.
The accused has been booked under Sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) and 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the BNS.
Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi in a post on X sought immediate release of Malvinder and said AAP government is curtailing freedom of speech.
Mali, a strong critic of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, was appointed as Sidhu’s adviser in 2021.
{{/usCountry}}Mali, a strong critic of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, was appointed as Sidhu’s adviser in 2021.
{{/usCountry}}