FATEHBAD – Comedian Kiku Sharda, best known for his role of Palak in popular TV show ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’, was granted bail hours after he was arrested by the Kaithal police for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments by mimicking Dera Sacha Sauda sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
However, as Kiku was on his way to Delhi shortly after his release on bail, he was arrested again at Fatehabad where a separate case was registered against him, also under IPC Section 295-A (hurting religious sentiments), Kaithal SP Kishan Murari said. Kiku would be produced before a court tomorrow, he said.
Initially, Kiku was arrested from Mumbai and produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Nandita Kaushik, who had sent him to 14-day judicial custody. The actor was released on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh in the evening after the police
submitted that they were not averse to his release. The bail order came after the Dera head tweeted, “I was busy shooting OnlineGurukul; just got to know devotees are hurt due to Kiku’s action. If he has apologised, no complaint from my side.” The arrest was made following a complaint by dera followers Uday Singh and Dalsher Singh. The comedian was booked on December 31.
Dera followers had alleged that Kiku had hurt their feelings by mimicking sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in an episode of a TV show aired on December 27. Talking to media after his arrest, Kiku apologised and said he was an artist and “presented the programme on the directions of the TV channel and programme producers”. “I was given a dress, script to read and directed to act,” he said, adding that he had been booked but no action was taken against others, including the TV channel. He said his aim was only to entertain people and not to hurt the religious feelings and sentiments of anyone.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said the government has nothing to do with it. “It’s a matter of law and order. An FIR has been registered and police will take action,” he said.
