BHOPAL: Politically influential Hindu Rashtra-backer "godman" Dhirendra Shastri’s younger brother Shaligram Garg was finally arrested by police in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday for abusing and assaulting guests at a Dalit wedding.
On midnight of February 11, 22-year-old Shaligram armed with a country-made pistol, along with one Raja Ram Tiwari, gatecrashed the wedding party of a Dalit couple in his native Garha village of Chhatarpur district and objected over the playing of Rai folk music at the party. He pointed a pistol and allegedly abused and assaulted the guests, besides damaging property there.
Though the arrest of Shaligram and Tiwari comes 19 days after the incident and 10 days after they were booked in the case, they were granted bail by the special SC/ST Act Cases court in Chhatarpur a few hours after their arrest.
The Dalit outfit Bhim Army had been protesting in Chhatarpur district over the delay in the arrest of the accused in the case.
“The complainant, as well as the prosecution counsel, opposed the bail plea of the arrested suspects. The defence counsel, however, appealed for bail to both claiming that they weren’t habitual offenders. The defence counsel also quoted the Supreme Court judgment about granting bail to those accused in offences that carry punishment of not more than seven years. Hearing both sides, the additional district judge (SC/ST Atrocities Act cases) granted both the accused bail on presentation of personal surety bond of Rs 25,000 each,” Chhatarpur district prosecution officer (DPO) Pravesh Ahirwar told The New Indian Express.
The two accused, including the godman’s brother were booked under IPC Sections 294, 323, 506, 427, 336 IPC, 25 Arms Act and provisions of SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act on February 20.
A few days after the attack, the video of the incident had gone viral, after which the local police acted on the matter and recorded statements of the Dalit family whose daughter had been married on February 11. Based on the complaint of the bride’s father, an FIR was registered at Bamitha police station against Shaligram and Tiwari.
The prime accused Shaligram Garg’s elder brother, 26-year-old Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, is a popular "godman," who is the Peethadhishwar of Lord Hanuman’s famous temple Bageshwar Dham in Garha village of Chhatarpur district.
He has repeatedly been in news for the last few weeks, over his “miraculous powers” and demand for Hindu Rashtra. A few weeks back, a Nagpur-based NGO had questioned Shastri’s miraculous powers.
Shastri has a huge devotee base across the country. He also has a fan following among politicians. Senior MP politicians including CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state BJP president and local MP VD Sharma and former CM Kamal Nath, have recently visited the Bageshwar Dham and met the "godman."