The Madhya Pradesh Police has booked Indore-based cartoonist Hemant Malviya after a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member lodged a complaint accusing him of sharing objectionable content online, reported news agency PTI.

The complaint, filed by lawyer and RSS activist Vinay Joshi at Lasudiya police station on Wednesday night, claims that Hemant Malviya’s cartoons are “offensive”, “obscene”, and “indecent”. Joshi alleges the posts are meant to hurt Hindu religious sentiments and damage the RSS’s image.

What are the charges against Hemant Malviya

According to police, Hemant Malviya posted cartoons, comments, photos, and videos on his Facebook page referencing Lord Shiva, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the RSS. He has been charged under sections 196, 299, and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for actions allegedly harming communal harmony and hurting religious feelings. 

He also faces charges under Section 67A of the Information Technology Act for sharing content depicting sexually explicit acts electronically.

Lasudiya police station in-charge Tareesh Soni said Malviya has not been arrested yet and that the investigation is ongoing.

Who is Hemant Malviya?

Hemant Malviya is a cartoonist based in Indore. According to his social media profiles, he is an artist, cartoonist, and wedding decorator. His online posts often include political satire and commentary on current affairs.

His Facebook profile, which has around 40,000 followers, includes a disclaimer stating that all characters in his cartoons are fictional and any resemblance to real people is coincidental. 

Malviya denied the allegations and told The Indian Express, “I am targeted for my cartoons that question the administration.” 

He added, “Closure reports were filed in both criminal cases. I never spoke against the PM’s mother. I have been a target of the right wing in the state ever since I gained infamy with the Ramdev case.”

This is not the first time Malviya has faced legal trouble. According to a report by The Indian Express, the Uttarakhand Police booked him in 2022 for allegedly creating obscene posters of yoga guru Ramdev. Later that year, the Indore Police booked him again over supposed defamatory remarks after the death of Prime Minister Modi’s mother.