Actor Rana Jung Bahadur, known for his work in Punjabi cinema, was arrested in Jalandhar on Wednesday 6 July on a charge of hurting religious sentiments.
The actor had made some controversial remarks against the sage Valmiki, who wrote the epic Ramayana, in an interview some weeks ago.
According to The Tribune newspaper's website, the actor was arrested after protests at some places by members of the Valmiki community. The actor’s effigy was also burnt at some of these protests.
A first information report (FIR) was lodged against Rana Jung Bahadur under sections 295 and 295A of the Indian Penal Code and section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The actor sought anticipatory bail from a local court but his plea was denied.
The action came despite the actor posting a video on Facebook on 9 June, apologizing for his remarks which he said stemmed from ignorance and incorrect information. He also appealed in the video to everyone to ensure that works are properly researched and referenced before being published so that people may not receive and cite wrong information.
In a video by BBC Punjabi, the actor was seen in police custody, apologizing for his remarks. Asserting that he was an artiste with no political connections, he said his work was to make people laugh. Rana Jung Bahadur’s film Posti, starring Prince KJ Singh, was released in theatres on 17 June.