'Mohammad Deepak' granted bail after arrest over threat complaint
Deepak Kumar, the Kotdwar gym owner known as "Mohammad Deepak," was granted bail by a local court on Friday, October 2. The order came a day after his arrest over allegations that he threatened a local businessman, police said. Deepak had become famous in January for confronting Bajrang Dal members over the harassment of a Muslim shopkeeper.
He was produced before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Pauri district's Kotdwar around 6:30 pm. The court granted him bail on three bonds of Rs 50,000 each. He was also issued a notice under Section 130 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), warning of action if he causes a breach of peace in the next six months, officials said.
The case stems from a complaint filed Thursday evening by local businessman Sanjeev Tonk at Kotdwar Kotwali police station. Tonk accused Deepak of rude behaviour, abusive language and death threats over a social media comment. According to the complaint, Tonk had commented on a post shared by Deepak. Deepak then allegedly visited Tonk's shop around 10:30 am on Thursday, verbally abused him and threatened to kill him.
Police initially booked Deepak under Sections 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering criminal intimidation and intentional insult. They later added Sections 196 and 115, for promoting enmity between groups and voluntarily causing hurt, based on the investigation and CCTV footage.
A senior police official said the probe also found Deepak had a history of disputes that disrupted law and order. He was arrested on Thursday under Section 170 of the BNSS as a preventive measure, after reports that he was gathering crowds and creating tension, the official said.
Deepak first drew national attention in January. He intervened after Bajrang Dal activists confronted elderly Muslim shopkeeper Vakeel Ahmed, demanding he remove the word "Baba" from his shop's name, Baba School Dress and Matching Centre. When the group asked his name, Deepak responded, "Mohammad Deepak," saying later that he wanted to show he was simply an Indian.
The moment went viral and drew praise from across the country, including from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. But it also brought over 150 Bajrang Dal supporters to protest outside his gym. Deepak said the episode left his family "traumatised" and badly hurt his business.
He later approached the Uttarakhand High Court, seeking to quash the FIR against him and asking for police protection. The court declined to interfere with the ongoing investigation and restrained him from posting about the matter on social media, remarking that he was sensationalising the issue.