Two executives of IndiaMart InterMesh Ltd and a supplier on the platform have been booked in a case in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura for allegedly offering rocks from the Govardhan Hill — which is considered sacred for Hindus — for sale online, reported Times of India. The case has been filed against IndiaMart founder Dinesh Agarwal, director Brajesh Agarwal, and Mathura-based supplier Ankur Agrawal, per Business Standard. A First-Information_report has been registered under Section 295 (destruction, damage, or defiling any place of worship held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66D (cheating by personation using a computer resource) of the Information Technology Act, the reports said. The case was registered based on a complaint by a local resident. There have reportedly been protests by locals outside Govardhan police station, with demands of arrests for hurting sentiments of devotees. Mathura Superintendent of Police Shirish Chandra said that stern action would be taken against the company, its CEO, and the supplier for inciting religious feelings by misusing information technology. Business Standard reported that the website claimed that the rocks were natural and were being sold for Rs. 5,175 per piece. It's worth noting that while the FIR claims violation of the IT Act, the law also provides safe harbour to intermediaries such as IndiaMart under Section 79. Intermediaries are entities which allow sharing of information between users and are not considered as publishers…
