'Sant' Kalicharan, who was arrested by Raipur Police on Thursday, days after he made a derogatory speech against Mahatma Gandhi at the Chhattisgarh 'Dharam Sansad', was on Friday, 31 December sent to judicial custody till 13 January.
His plea for bail, meanwhile, is set to be heard on 3 January.
Previously, hours after his arrest on Thursday, Kalicharan was remanded to police custody till Saturday. Visuals had then emerged of him exiting the court premises, amid cheers of "Jai Shree Ram". He was flanked by the police, followed by the press and his followers, and appeared to be smiling.
THE ARREST
Kalicharan was arrested by Raipur Police from Madhya Pradesh's Khajuraho on Thursday, days after a video of him making a derogatory speech against Mahatma Gandhi at the Chhattisgarh 'Dharam Sansad' went viral.
In purported videos of the event that have been circulated on social media, 'Sant' Kalicharan could be heard saying:
“They (minorities) seized power through politics here. And the great **** Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led us to this ruin. Salutations to Godse ji that he killed that ****.”
A case was registered against the 'godman' at the Tikrapara Police Station of Raipur.
BJP leaders, including Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, and Union Minister Giriraj Singh have criticised the Chhattisgarh government for the arrest.
MEANWHILE
Meanwhile, trouble keeps to be mounting for Kalicharan, with Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil saying that the Maharashtra Police will probe all the cases registered against him in the state.
The Pune Police on Tuesday had booked the 'godman', Hindutva leader Milind Ekbote, and four others for allegedly delivering hate speeches during an event in the Maharashtra city on 19 December.
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