Filmmaker Shirish Kunder on Friday night apologised for making remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath that were deemed derogatory by his supporters. “I unconditionally apologise. I never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings or sentiments,” he tweeted.

Kunder’s apology came after an FIR was registered against him in Lucknow. Secretary of Thakurdwara Trust of Ayodhya Amit Kumar Tiwari had filed the complaint, reported PTI.

Earlier on Twitter, Kunder had said, “Hoping a goon will stop rioting once he is allowed to rule is like expecting a rapist to stop raping once he’s allowed to rape.” Another tweet said, “Going by the logic of making a goon a CM so he behaves, Dawood [Ibrahim] can be Central Bureau of Investigation’s director. And [Vijay] Mallya the Reserve Bank of India governor.” The tweets were deleted since the FIR was lodged.

Kunder is one of the many people facing action for criticising the right-wing leader. On Thursday, a Noida resident was arrested after a group formed by Adityanath – the Hindu Yuva Vahini – filed a police complaint against an “objectionable” picture of the chief minister. This was days after a woman in Bengaluru was booked for “objectionable” Facebook posts against the UP chief minister, on the basis of a complaint filed by Yuva Morcha members under various sections of the IT Act.