A case of sedition was registered on Tuesday evening against former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju for a Facebook post offering Kashmir and Bihar to Pakistan as a “package deal”, PTI reported on Wednesday. The case, registered at Shastrinagar police station in Bihar, was filed by Janata Dal (United) state spokesperson, Neeraj Kumar. Another petition seeking Katju’s prosecution on sedition and defamation charges was also filed with Patna’s Chief Judicial Magistrate by a lawyer, Arvind Kumar.

Katju's post on Sunday said Islamabad could take Kashmir, “but on the condition you also take Bihar...You have to take the whole package, or none at all”. He further joked that Pakistan had refused a similar offer by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the 2001 Agra summit between the two neighbours.

Katju’s remarks were criticised by several politicians and parties, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who said the former judge was “trying to become [the] guardian of the state while sitting at home”. Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party chief VN Jha called for his arrest on sedition charges. He also demanded an inquiry to investigate if Katju was "entrapped among anti-nationals out to destroy India’s sovereignty and integrity". Katju apologised for his post, but said that most people in India “lack a sense of humour”.