Mumbai: The Free Press Journal had carried a news report on May 30, 2018, titled ‘FIR against Ex-ACP, for comparing Hanuman to Devil, quashed by HC’. This report was culled out of the High Court order on its website; however, Mr Shamsherkhan V Pathan, former ACP in question, says he stands by his words that he did not compare Lord Hanuman to anyone.
He has told the FPJ that he did not mention Lord Hanuman and the use was ‘general.’ According to Mr Pathan, “the Facebook post was a real-life incident that took place in Sewri sessions court. In the said post, it was never mentioned anywhere that the name Hanuman is referred to as Lord Hanuman. A perusal of the post would make it clear that there was absolutely no comparison made between Firaun and Hanuman and vice versa. It was carefully mentioned in the post that Hanuman is the alias name of one Humayun Shaikh, given by his family members. Likewise, even Firaun is the alias name of one Tabrez Shaikh, given by the family members. These two names are merely the alias names of the two individuals.”