Milind Ekbote, 20 others booked for circulating provocative pamphlets

According to the police, despite a court’s stay on carrying any further construction at a Dargah near Punyeshwar Mahadev Temple in Kasba peth, Ekbote and other accused misled the citizens on the pretext that work was in progress and performed a Maha arti (religious public gathering )

PUNE The Faraskhana police on Wednesday booked Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote along with 20 other persons in connection with a case related to driving communal rift between two communities.

Ekbote and his supporters also distributed provocative pamphlets aimed at breaching peace and drive a wedge between two communities, police said. (HT FILE PHOTO)

According to the police, despite a court’s stay on carrying any further construction at a Dargah near Punyeshwar Mahadev Temple in Kasba peth, Ekbote and other accused misled the citizens on the pretext that work was in progress and performed a Maha arti (religious public gathering ), officials said.

Ekbote and his supporters also distributed provocative pamphlets aimed at breaching peace and drive a wedge between two communities, police said. The Faraskhana police in their report stated that the accused circulated divisive and communally charged messages, videos and invitation card on social media aimed at appealing to the Hindu community, gathered people for a religious congregation.

Ekbote, who is the president of Samasta Hindu Aghadi, was recently booked by the Khadak police along with controversial seer Kalicharan Maharaj for allegedly making a provocative speech during a public program at Natubaug maidan on December 19.

The police in their complaint stated that the accused circulated misinformation on social media and carried out a Maha arti (religious public gathering ) at the disputed spot at Pawale chowk in Kasaba peth on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

Additional commissioner of police Rajendra Dahale said, “We have lodged a case against Milind Ekbote and others for trying to disturb public peace and investigation is on in the case.”

According to police officials, Ekbote, along with others including Nandkishore Ekbote and Vaibhav Wagh were served notice and released by the police.