A Chhattisgarh court has filed a case against a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA for making allegedly derogatory remarks about Jesus Christ in September, PTI reported on Wednesday.

The court in Jashpur district directed the legislator, Raymuni Bhagat, to appear before it on Friday.

Judicial Magistrate First Class Anil Kumar Chauhan on Monday ordered the filing of the case after hearing a complaint filed by Herman Kujur. Chauhan said that there was sufficient evidence to file the case against Bhagat for promoting enmity between groups, among other charges.

On September 1, Bhagat, who represents the Jashpur constituency, allegedly made remarks about Jesus Christ and religious conversions in a local dialect during an event in Dhekni village, PTI reported.

Subsequently, a video of her remarks was widely shared on social media. Following this, members of the Christian community sought the registration of a case against the MLA and filed complaints in several police stations in the district.

Kujur also filed a complaint. The police, however, refused to take action and referred him to the court, PTI quoted his lawyer Vishnu Kuldeep as saying. Kujur then filed a complaint in the court on December 10.

During a previous hearing, a video of Bhagat’s remarks was submitted to the court, along with statements by six witnesses. In response, the court said that it appeared that the legislator had made the alleged speech and added that a cognisable offence had been committed.

Chauhan also noted that Kujur had submitted a written complaint to the police station about the MLA’s comments but no action was taken. Prima facie, sufficient substance had been found to register a crime against Bhagat, PTI quoted the court as saying.

The court then registered a case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting enmity between groups based on religion, race or language, deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting its religion or religious beliefs and deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of others.