Ex-leader booked again for hate speech in Kerala

KOCHI: The police in Kerala have booked former legislator PC George, who is out on bail ater he was arrested for his hate speech against the Muslims, for the same offence.

He allegedly made a similar speech at a Hindu temple festival in the poll-bound Thrikkakkara assembly constituency here on Monday.

“A video clip is available with us. We’ll examine the same and take further action,” the city police commissioner N Nagaraj told reporters here.

“I understand he’s already out on conditional bail in a similar offence commited in Trivandrum and he has violated those conditions.”

He said the court in the state capital that granted him bail was to consider the application of the police to cancel his bail on Wednesday.

The police wanted to detain him as he told the reporters waiting outside the magistrate’s home that he stood by his remarks.

He was produced before the magistrate at her home as the court was closed for the weekend holidays.

“We are waiting for the court to reach a decision on this. We’ll arrest him if needed ater receiving the court order,” the officer said.

“Further proceedings in the case will be finalised ater examining the details and bail conditions regarding the earlier case registered at Thiruvananthapuram.”

The police arrested the Kerala Janapaksham leader on May 1 for his hate speech against the minority community at a conference of a right-wing Hindu group a week earlier.

A judicial magistrate later released him on bail with strict conditions against making such hate speeches and influencing the witnesses.

The police say his speech promoted religious hatred and booked him under non-bailable Section 153 A and 295 of the Indian Penal Code.

The law makes promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion an offence that could land the offender in jail for up to three years besides a fine.

Section 295 bans deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.

The Kochi police also booked him on the same charges that could atract punishment of imprisonment which may extend to two years, a fine or both.

However, the commissioner did not reveal the content of the latest speech he made at the Vennala Siva temple.

The 70-year-old who represented Poonjar lost his bastion to the Let Democratic Front candidate in a triangular fight last year ater three decades of an unbeaten run.