Ramanagara, Feb 13 (IANS): A defamatory post by a Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) worker and advocate, Chand Pasha, on the Varanasi judge who rendered a verdict in the Gyanvapi mosque case, took a communal turn in Karnataka on Tuesday.

Following the turn of events, police filed an FIR against 40 advocates, triggering protests in Ramanagara District.

The advocates are demanding the suspension of the Sub-Inspector and have warned the state police department that if the suspension order is not issued by Tuesday evening, a statewide protest would be launched.

The advocates boycotted proceedings at the district court of Ramanagara on Tuesday and are staging a protest.

Police registered an FIR against the advocates based on the complaint by Rafiq Khan, a businessman from Ramanagara. In the complaint, it is stated that the complainant and others went to the Advocates Association to submit a memorandum stating that the allegations against Chand Pasha were false.

“The accused waylaid, locked us, and assaulted us. The accused claimed that the place is not a mosque. They abused us by taking the name of our religion,” Rafiq Khan stated in the complaint.

Earlier, the police had filed an FIR against Chand Pasha and 40 others based on the complaint by senior advocate BM Srinivasa.

It was stated in the complaint, “Following the complaint against advocate Chand Pasha regarding his derogatory social media posts against the Varanasi judge on the Gyanvapi mosque, the Advocates Association held a meeting on February 6 to discuss action against him.

“A group of 30 to 40 people barged into the president’s room in the Advocates Association and pressured them not to take any action against Chand Pasha.

“The group threatened them with consequences if any action was initiated. The mob created a communal atmosphere in the court premises and unrest. All this was done at the behest of Chand Pasha.”

The complaint also mentioned, “Our Advocates Association member Chand Pasha has put up posts that undermine the dignity of the judiciary and the judge regarding the verdict on the Gyanvapi mosque. He has published derogatory messages on WhatsApp groups and insulted the Indian judiciary.”

“Being an advocate and a person aware of the law, the posts against the judiciary were a matter of concern. The Advocates Association had received complaints against Chand Pasha, and hence the meeting was convened,” the complaint mentioned.

A delegation of advocates headed by HL Vishal Raghu, the Chairman of Karnataka Bar Council, has already met SP Karthik Reddy and submitted a memorandum in this regard.

Vishal Raghu has demanded that the Sub-Inspector of Ijoor police station, Tanveer Hussain, who lodged a false complaint against the advocates, must be suspended from service.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Police arrested Chand Pasha, in connection with the defamatory post against the District Judge of Varanasi.

According to the police, in his post, the accused referred to the judge as an RSS bootlicker who delivered the verdict one day before his retirement and addressed him with a foul expletive.