Bahraich/Gorakhpur, April 1 -- The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Monday arrested Bihar-based cleric Maulana Abdullah Salim, also known as Maulana Abdul Salim Qasmi and Abdullah Salim Chaturvedi, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the mother of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, police officials said on Tuesday. He was produced before a local court in Bahraich, which remanded him to judicial custody in the district jail. Amit Pathak, inspector general of police, Devipatan Range, said a video of the cleric's speech had gone viral on social media a few months ago. In the clip, Mohammad Salim, a resident of Araria district in Bihar, was allegedly seen making objectionable remarks against the Uttar Pradesh chief minister's mother. Pathak said FIRs in connection with the matter had been registered in Bahraich and Balrampur districts. Acting on the case, the Gorakhpur STF unit detained the cleric from Bihar late on Monday night and brought him to Bahraich. Police said that after being brought to Bahraich, the accused was taken to Nagar Kotwali police station at around 6 am, where he was questioned briefly before being produced in court. The court subsequently sent him to jail. The case pertains to a speech allegedly delivered by the cleric during a programme in Bihar's Bhagalpur district on May 5, 2024. The video of the speech later surfaced online, triggering outrage and demands for action from several organisations and local leaders. More than 80 FIRs have reportedly been registered against the cleric across several districts of UP. Complaints have been filed at the Cantt police station in Gorakhpur, while earlier FIRs were registered at Bahraich Nagar Kotwali and Kotwali police station in Balrampur. The charges include Section 196(1) (promoting enmity), Section 299 (outraging religious feelings), and Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). In Bahraich, the case was registered on March 8 on the complaint of Ajit Pratap Singh, district president of the legal cell of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Ashok Singh, additional superintendent of police, city, confirmed the arrest and said further legal proceedings were underway. He added that other aspects linked to the case were also under examination. In a video statement circulated by the police, the cleric is seen acknowledging that certain offensive remarks regarding the chief minister's mother had "inadvertently slipped" during his speech. He offered an unconditional apology, expressed regret and assured that such an incident would not be repeated. He also appealed to the public to refrain from making statements that could hurt religious sentiments or disturb social harmony, and extended his apology directly to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. The arrest has been welcomed by several Hindu organisations, which had been demanding strict action after the controversial video surfaced....