A City Civil and Sessions Court on Friday passed an interim order of injunction on sale and distribution of Dhundi , the controversial novel by Yogesh Master, till September 28. The author, who was arrested on Thursday, was granted bail by another court on Friday.
The interim injunction was ordered by the 37th Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Mallikarjuna Gowda on a suit filed by several Hindu activists who complained that the novel, released on August 24, had portrayed Lord Ganesh in a manner that hurt the sentiments of Hindus and of people of other faiths who worship the deity. The suit was filed by Pramod Muthalik of Sri Rama Sene and RTI activist Jayakumar Hiremath, among others.
They contended that most of the statements in the book were assumptions and presumptions that had no basis. The words used in the novel were “defamatory” , they complained.
Meanwhile, Mr. Yogesh Master was granted bail by the VIII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court. The case will be heard on September 12.
