Mohammad Deepak gets bail after arrest over Kotdwar trader altercation

Gym owner Deepak Kumar, who identifies himself as Mohammad Deepak, was released on bail on Friday after being produced before a sub-divisional magistrate’s (SDM) court in Kotdwar following his preventive arrest over an alleged altercation with a local trader, officials said.

SDM Sandeep Kumar granted bail to Deepak, who was detained on Thursday by the Pauri Garhwal police under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) as a preventive measure after an alleged altercation with local trader Sanjeev Tank over a Facebook post.

“The Kotdwar police have also registered an FIR in the matter under relevant sections of the BNS concerning criminal intimidation and the use of abusive language,” he said.

According to police officers, Deepak had posted a video on social media about the demolition of a mosque for road widening in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Tank, who runs Radhika Garments on Gangadutt Joshi Marg, commented on the post. Police said Deepak took offence to the comment and visited Tank’s shop on Thursday morning, where an altercation allegedly took place.

Tank lodged a complaint with the police, following which Deepak was taken into custody.

A large number of local traders later reached the Kotwali police station and staged a sit-in, demanding action against Deepak. Police assured them that appropriate action would be taken. The traders warned of an agitation if strict action was not taken.

“Adequate police personnel have been deployed in the town and we are keeping tab on any untoward incident or activity. Monitoring of social media platforms is also being done. No one will be allowed to disturb the law and order situation,” Kotdwar police station in-charge Pradeep Singh Negi said.

Deepak shot into the limelight for confronting members of the Bajrang Dal who were harassing a Muslim shopkeeper in January this year. He later faced backlash and an economic boycott. Multiple FIRs were registered following the incident, including a counter-FIR against Deepak.