Court allows govt plea to withdraw hate speech case against Keshav Maurya

PRAYAGRAJ: The special court (MP & MLA) has allowed the state government’s application to withdraw a hate speech and assault case pending against state’s deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and four of his supporters lodged at Kotwali police station of Kaushambi district in 2011.

Special judge Bal Mukund passed the above order after hearing prosecution counsel and others.

Following the court order, the case was dropped against four other accused Vibhuti Narayan

Singh, Jai Chandra Mishra, Yashpal Kesari, Prem Chand Chaudhari, who are all on bail.

A case was registered against Maurya and others on September 1, 2011 at Manjhanpur Kotwali of Kaushambi district by the police station in charge alleging that they delivered a provocative speech during an agitation.

Maurya’s supporters were booked for allegedly assaulting a youth from another community and making derogatory remarks against him.

Subsequently, the state government on August 19, 2018 passed an order to withdraw the case.

An application was accordingly moved in the court concerned in this connection.

Later, in an order passed on June 5, 2020, the court allowed application moved by the government to withdraw a case in which Maurya and four others were accused.

According to district government counsel (criminal), Gulab Chandra Agrahri, during an agitation against the then government’s actions and policies, Maurya and others had allegedly made derogatory remarks against a youth while he was passing through the area.

Perturbed over the remarks, when the youth raised objections, the accused allegedly manhandled him. However, the matter was resolved at one point of time when a police team arrived and rescued the victim.

Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against five persons under various sections of the Indian penal code.