Cartoonist Hemant Malviya has landed in serious legal trouble after posting a controversial cartoon depicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). On Tuesday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, stating that the content went beyond the bounds of “freedom of expression” and warranted custodial interrogation.
Justice Subhash Abhyankar, who presided over the single-judge bench, noted that the post was not mere satire, but could disturb public harmony. The court further ruled that the accused could not benefit from the Supreme Court’s guidelines in the ‘Arnesh Kumar vs State of Bihar’ case and upheld the grounds for arrest under Section 41(1)(b) CrPC.
The cartoon showed an RSS figure, dressed in traditional khaki shorts and white shirt, bowing before PM Modi, who was illustrated with a stethoscope and syringe pointed at the RSS member’s back. Additionally, the image included objectionable commentary on Lord Shiva, which the court called a “malicious act” aimed at inciting religious tensions.
The complaint was filed by Vinay Joshi, an advocate and RSS volunteer, who encountered the cartoon on Malviya’s Facebook profile while returning from the ISKCON temple in Nipania. Joshi alleged that the post was intended to insult the RSS, Hindu religious sentiments, and spread disharmony in society.
