Allahabad High Court Grants Interim Relief to YouTuber Gautam Khattar in Karauli Sarkar Remarks Case
By Rajesh Pandey
The Allahabad High Court has provided temporary protection from arrest to YouTuber Gautam Khattar, who is facing a police case in Uttar Pradesh over allegedly objectionable comments directed at spiritual figure Sri Karauli Shankar Mahadev Baba, popularly known among followers as “Karauli Sarkar.”
The matter came up before a division bench comprising Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena while hearing Khattar’s plea seeking cancellation of the FIR lodged against him.
During the proceedings, the bench granted the state government one week to obtain instructions in the matter and ordered that Khattar should not be arrested until May 19, the next date fixed for hearing.
The FIR was registered following a complaint filed by Priyanka Dwivedi, a resident of Kanpur.
In her complaint, she alleged that Khattar, who describes himself as the founder of an organisation called the “Sanatan Mahasangh,” used his social media platforms to circulate inflammatory and offensive content.
According to the complaint, the controversy arose after Khattar uploaded a video linked to the “Pattabhishek” ceremony of Sri Sri 1008 Purna Guru Sri Karauli Shankar Das Ji Maharaj, who was ceremonially appointed as Mahamandaleshwar of the Shri Panchayati Akhada Naya Udasin (Nirvan) in Kankhal, Haridwar.
The complainant alleged that Khattar made insulting and inappropriate remarks in the video with the intention of damaging Karauli Sarkar’s public image and hurting the religious sentiments of his devotees.
Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, Khattar’s lawyer argued before the court that the statements made in the video merely expressed the opinion that no individual should portray himself as God.
The counsel maintained that such remarks fall within the scope of personal opinion and do not amount to any criminal offence.
The defence further contended that a plain reading of the FIR does not reveal any deliberate or malicious attempt by Khattar to outrage the religious feelings of any particular community through spoken or written words.
In its May 11 order, the high court granted time to the state counsel to seek detailed instructions regarding the allegations and directed that no coercive action, including arrest, should be taken against Khattar until the next hearing scheduled for May 19.
