Indian comedian charged with insulting Hindu deities after right-wing group crashes show

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Munawar Faruqui, a young stand-up comedian from Gujarat, was arrested by the police along with four other people on Friday after several members of a fringe group led by Eklavya Gaur, the son of a local politician from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, ambushed him after the show. But on Monday, amid a growing outcry over the comedian’s treatment, police said in a statement that there was no video evidence to prove Faruqui made remarks either “insulting Hindu deities or minister Amit Shah”, another of the claims made by Mr Gaur. Mr Gaur, after getting the case registered, told Indian media outlets outside the police station: “He is a serial offender and often cracks defamatory jokes on Hindu gods and goddesses. As expected, he was insulting Hindu deities and also mocked home minister Amit Shah by dragging his name with Godhra riots," said Mr Gaur, referring to the religious riots that took place in Gujarat in 2002 when Mr Shah and Narendra Modi, now the prime minister, were in charge of the state.