A video shot inside the Akola District and Sessions Court premises, with an alleged reference to Dawood Ibrahim, one of India's most wanted fugitives, created a furore after the clip went viral on Wednesday.
Police action and arrest
Police acted swiftly and registered a case against a 32-year-old man seen in the video for indulging in subversive activity and under the Information Technology Act. The process for formally arresting the accused was under way at Ramdaspeth police station at the time of filing this report, said sources.
Content of the video
The video shows the man walking on the court premises with a voiceover quoting Dawood Ibrahim: "Respond to stones with flowers, and let that flower be their grave". The content was widely viewed as inflammatory and suggestive of indirect threats.
Accused's background
The accused, identified as Sheikh Wasim Sheikh Bashir (32), a resident of Molke Wadi in the old city area of Akola, has a criminal background, with previous cases including murder and charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Legal violations and investigation
Officials said that shooting videos inside court premises requires prior permission, which was not obtained in this case. The court administration filed a complaint, prompting immediate police intervention. Acting on directions of superintendent of police, Archit Chandak, the local crime branch launched an investigation using technical surveillance and intelligence inputs. Police sources said the video was recorded when Wasim reportedly visited the court for a hearing recently. Chandak said such actions at a highly-sensitive location like a court not only violate legal norms but also pose a serious threat to public order.
Charges and investigation
A case was registered at Ramdaspeth police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 152 and 359(3), along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. The action was taken under the guidance of additional superintendent of police Chandrakant Reddy and sub-divisional police officer Sudarshan Patil, led by LCB chief Shankar Shelke and his team. Police are conducting a detailed investigation to determine the intent behind the video and to trace its circulation across digital platforms.
Calls for enhanced security
The incident has prompted calls for strict enforcement of security measures on court premises, improved surveillance and accountability to prevent such breaches in the future.
