Archive · 8 Aug 2026
Christian Forum chief arrested over Facebook post on religious sentiments
A 75-year-old man named Arun Pannalal leads a group called the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, which speaks up for Christians in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
Police in the city of Raipur arrested him on Friday night.
They say he wrote a comment on Facebook that hurt some people's feelings about their religion.
A spokesperson for a political party called the BJP filed a complaint about the comment.
The spokesperson gave the police the comment's web address and screenshots.
The forum has existed since 1995 and often talks about problems Christians face in the state.
Mr. Pannalal has also tried to win elections, but his party did not succeed in recent votes.
Now the police and courts will decide whether his Facebook comment went too far.
Raipur Police arrested 75-year-old Arun Pannalal, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, on Friday night.
He was detained for allegedly making a 'highly objectionable' Facebook comment that hurt a community's religious sentiments.
BJP spokesperson Amit Chimnani filed a written complaint at the Civil Lines police station with URLs and screenshots of the posts.
The comment was posted under a Facebook post by Hansraj Goyal, according to the report.
Pannalal's political outfit, Sarva Adi Dal, unsuccessfully contested the 2023 Chhattisgarh Assembly polls and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
- Who
- Arun Pannalal, the 75-year-old president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum
- What
- Arrested for allegedly making an objectionable Facebook comment that hurt a community's religious sentiments
- When
- Friday night
- Where
- Raipur, Chhattisgarh
- Why
- BJP spokesperson Amit Chimnani filed a written complaint with Raipur Police after the allegedly objectionable post
Free Expression / Minority Advocacy
Protection of Religious Sentiments
Nature of the Facebook comment
Free Expression / Minority Advocacy
Pannalal and the forum he leads are vocal advocates for the state's Christian minority, known for raising issues of violence against Christians, suggesting the post was part of that advocacy.
Protection of Religious Sentiments
Police and the complainant described the post as 'highly objectionable' and said it hurt the religious sentiments of a community, justifying the arrest.
Appropriateness of arrest
Free Expression / Minority Advocacy
The forum has long raised reports of persecution and social advocacy, implying suppression of its voice by legal action.
Protection of Religious Sentiments
The written complaint with URLs and screenshots led police to act, treating the comment as a violation of religious-sentiment law.
- Accused
- Arun Pannalal (age 75)
- Organization
- Chhattisgarh Christian Forum (president)
- Arresting agency
- Raipur Police
- Reason for arrest
- Objectionable Facebook comment allegedly hurting religious sentiments
- Complainant
- Amit Chimnani, BJP spokesperson
- Forum founded
- 1995
- Related outfits
- Sarva Adi Dal (failed to win 2023 assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha elections)