Despite Police Ban, Praveen Togadia Addressed VHP Supporters Via Video at National College grounds in Bengaluru on Feb. 08, 2015. Photo: Handout email

Bengaluru: Criminal cases have been registered against VHP leader Praveen Togadia and organisers of ‘Hindu Virat Samavesha’ for allegedly violating prohibitory orders issued by Bengaluru Police Commissioner MN Reddi.

“We have booked one criminal case against Togadia and cases against the organisers for violating prohibitory orders,” a top police official, who did not wish to be named, said in Bengaluru on Monday night.

Togadia has been booked under Section 188 of IPC,invoked against an offender for disobeying the order duly promulgated by public servant.

Sections 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence omitted in prosecution of common object), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC have been invoked against event organisers, he said.

Section 188 was also invoked against the organisers for violating orders for holding the programme beyond the prescribed time limit. “Permission was granted to hold the event from 3 pm to 5 pm, but it extended to 7.40 pm,” the official said.

This section also was invoked against organisers for playing a 15-minute video footage of Togadia’s speech, defying the orders of the Police Commissioner, the official said.

On 7 February, Reddi had issued an order, prohibiting organisers from displaying and transmitting Togadia’s speech through any form of media for two days.

Last week, he had imposed the prohibitory orders on the ground that Togadia’s ‘provocative’ and ‘inflammatory’ speeches would have ‘grave’ consequences and likelihood of breach of peace.

VHP had challenged the Commissioner’s orders on Togadia’s entry into the city in the High Court with the interim prayer for a stay on the ban.

While declining the interim plea, the Judge, however, had said Hegde’s petition was maintainable and adjourned the matter without mentioning the next date of hearing.

(PTI)

Bengaluru: A day after Karnataka High Court rejected VHP’s plea for a stay on the police order banning its leader Praveen Togadia’s entry into the city on grounds of law and order, the saffron outfit has made all arrangements to live telecast his speech through video-conferencing at the ‘Hindu Virat Samavesha’ to be held here tomorrow.

“Togadia has already reached Karnataka borders and will enter the state today or tomorrow. There is a stay on his entry into Bengaluru city, but there isn’t on his giving speech through video-conferencing mechanism,” VHP’s State Public Relations Officer Manjunath Swamy told reporters here.

Justice Abdul Nazir had on Saturday turned down the interim prayer by Karnataka VHP Organising Secretary Keshav Hegde for staying the police commissioner’s order banning Togadia’s entry into the city from February 5 to 11.

City Police Commissioner MN Reddi had earlier this week imposed the ban on the ground that Togadia’s “provocative and inflammatory” speeches would have “grave” consequences and likelihood of breach of peace.

Swamy said they have invited some television channels to live telecast Togadia’s speech arranged outside Bengaluru for tomorrow’s event here.

On City Police Commissioner MN Reddi’s remark that the live telecast even from outside Bengaluru will amount to an offence, Swamy said, “It will not amount to an offence. The Police Commissioner can tell many things. Even I am an advocate and tell you that it will not amount to an offence. If it is done, then it will be an anti-democratic act.” Reddi told reporters that any speech made by Togadia through video-conferencing will amount to offence.

“It will amount to an offence. We will do everything to issue a ban order on Togadia using video-conferencing mechanism to deliver speech,” he said.

VHP had challenged the police commissioner’s prohibitory orders on Togadia’s entry into the city in the High Court with the interim prayer for a stay on the ban.

While declining the interim plea, the Judge, however, said the writ petition filed by Hegde was maintainable and adjourned the matter without mentioning the next date of hearing.

(PTI)

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court today upheld Bengaluru police commissioner’s order on banning entry of VHP leader Praveen Togadia into Bengaluru.

He was to take part in Virat Hindu Samavesha, which will be held at National College grounds on February 8.

Advocate General (AG) Ravivarma Kumar on Thursday had submitted to the high court that Togadia was a dangerous man who could disrupt the communal harmony in the State through his provocative speeches.

In likelihood that Togadia may deliver provative speech at the Hindu convention, the Bengaluru police commissioner issued orders banning Togadia from entering Bengaluru between February 5 and February 11. The decision has been met with much criticism from right wing groups and religious leaders, and also the opposition BJP, which crippled the House proceedings for two consecutive days and even staged a walkout.

BJP walks out of Karnataka Assembly against ban on Togadia

Earlier, on Wednesday the BJP MLAs raised objection in the Karnataka Assembly to the ban on VHP leader Praveen Togadia entering Bengaluru, leading to the adjournment of the House repeatedly.

BJP leader R Ashoka raised the issue as the House met for the day and questioned the government’s intention behind the action and called it an attempt to “suppress” the majority, leading to a heated argument between BJP and Congress MLAs.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intervened to say government would not allow anything that disturbs peace in society. This further angered BJP members.

The Speaker said he would give permission to raise the issue during Zero Hour and Question Hour should be allowed to function smoothly, to which members agreed.

(Agencies)