‘Comedy Nights With Kapil’ actor Kiku Sharda aka ‘Palak’, who was arrested for mimicking Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on his show, has been sent to 14 days judicial custody in Kaithal, Haryana.
Kiku was arrested for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the self-styled godman’s followers.
Kiku Sharda was sent to 14-day judicial custody after police produced him before the court of Nandita Kaushik, Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kaithal. He was arrested from Mumbai by the Haryana Police. Kiku was booked on December 31 under section 295 A of the Indian Penal Code (outraging religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief). A case was registered on the complaint of one Uday Singh, the follower of Dera Sacha Sauda, police said.
While talking to media after his arrest, Kiku apologised and said that he was an artist and “presented the programme on the directions of the channel and programme producers”. “I was given a dress, script to read and directed to act,” he said, adding that he had been booked in this case but no action was taken against others including the TV channel. He said that his aim was only to entertain the public and not to hurt the religious feeling and sentiments of any person. Earlier in December 2015, Kiku had apoligized via on Twitter: “Doston the act on TV was not to hurt anyone’s feelings. My apologies to @Gurmeetramrahim ji and his followers. Let’s spread happiness.”
Dera followers had alleged that Sharda had hurt their religious sentiments in an episode of the TV show aired on December 27. Dera followers had even protested against the actor, who shot to fame with comedy show “FIR”, seeking action against him. In a recent tweet from Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s end, he says: “If he has apologized, no complaint from my side”.
Kiku, who has appeared on several reality shows and small screen TV shows, is seen on ‘Comedy Nights With Kapil’ along with Kapil Sharma, Sunil Grover, Ali Asgar, Upasna Singh and Chandan Prabhakar. (With PTI inputs)
