Author Dr Farhat Khan along with college principal of Government Law College in Indore Dr Inamur Rahman, the Amar book publications, and professor Mirza Mojiz Beg were booked under the charges of promoting enmity between two groups.
Huneza Khan | TwoCircles.net
BHOPAL (MADHYA PRADESH) — Madhya Pradesh police on Thursday arrested Dr Farhat Khan, author of a ‘controversial’ book, while she was undergoing dialysis at a Pune hospital, state home minister Narottam Mishra said.
The Madhya Pradesh police handed over the arrest notice to author Dr Farhat Khan of the controversial book ‘Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System.’ State Home Minister Narottam Mishra told the media in Bhopal that “controversial writer Farhat Khan was handed over an arrest notice in Pune when she was undergoing dialysis in a hospital there.”
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajesh Kumar Singh told reporters in Indore that after a case was registered against Dr Khan five days ago, she was traced in Pune and served a notice under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
“As per the notice she was asked to cooperate with the police in the probe related to her controversial book and remain present in the court when the charge sheet is submitted,” he said.
Khan, an Indore-based writer, is suffering from a serious kidney ailment and needs dialysis on a regular basis, the DCP said.
Meanwhile, she received spot bail in the case.
Pertinently, the principal and a professor of Government Law College in Indore, which had allegedly kept a copy of Dr Khan’s book in its library, were suspended following the report of a committee, officials said.
TwoCircles.net attempted several times to talk to the author but his family said that she was not in a condition to speak to the media. Other accused in the case were not available for comment.
“We are afraid that anytime a mob may attack and lynch us,” said a dismissed professor, who requested to remain anonymous.
Meanwhile, Police are tracing Hitesh Khetrapal of Amar Law Publications and a departmental inquiry is ongoing against principal Dr Inamur Rahman and Professor Mirza Mojiz Beg.
Earlier, the author Dr Farhat Khan along with college principal Dr Inamur Rahman, the Amar book publications, and professor Mirza Mojiz Beg were booked under the charges of promoting enmity between two groups.
Dr Farhat Khan’s arrest comes after the state home minister Narottam Mishra’s direction to Indore Commissioner to probe the issue and file an FIR within 24 hours.
In his address to the media, Mishra said, “From where do you bring venomous words against the nation you eat and live in?” He informed Dr Khan’s other book is also under investigation and actions will be taken according to the conclusions.
The college principal had resigned following a protest by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He was accused of promoting ‘love jihad’ and religious fundamentalism in college.
Notably, an FIR was registered on the complaint of Lucky Adiwal, a student of New Government Law College and a working committee member of ABVP. He alleged that Khan’s book contained highly objectionable matter against the Hindu community and RSS, and promoted religious hatred.
The MP Higher Education Department formed a seven-member committee to probe the matter and recorded statements of 250 students and teachers.
Of the four accused persons, a local court refused anticipatory bail to Rahman and Baig on Tuesday.
As per PTI, their lawyer, Abhinav Dhanotkar said that they will file an appeal before the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Meanwhile, three guest faculty members of the college too have been removed from the panel of guest lecturers, an official release said.
Huneza Khan is a student and a budding journalist from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. She tweets @KhanHuneza