Source:

February 23, 2010 16:42 IST

A Shillong court issued an arrest warrant against a Delhi-based publisher on Tuesday who is allegedly responsible for printing school textbooks carrying an objectionable picture of Jesus Christ.

"We have obtained an arrest warrant against publisher Indramohan Jha from chief judicial magistrate court here. A police team will leave for New Delhi to arrest and interrogate him," Deputy Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said.

"A case under Section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious act intended to hurt religious feelings) of the IPC has been registered against Skyline Publication. The offence is non-bailable," he said.

Over 120 books have been seized by the police from a convent school and a distributor.

Authorities of St Joseph Girls' Higher Secondary School in Shillong, where the cursive writing book was supplied among the students of Class I to IV, had filed a first information report against the publisher after the objectionable picture of Christ came to notice. A case was registered on February 19.

The cursive writing book for Class I is a spelling tutor, where 'Idol' is used for 'I'. Against this word, a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette and a beer can was used.

The picture was also printed in cursive writing books of Class II, III and IV.