Alleging violation of bail conditions of PC George, the police had demanded cancellation of his bail. (file)
Thiruvananthapuram:
A magistrate court in Kerala on Wednesday canceled the bail granted to senior politician PC George, alleging that he had spoken abusive language against Muslims in the state on April 29.
The court on 1 May allowed the petition filed by the police to quash the relief granted to Mr. George.
The police, in its plea, had argued that the veteran politician had violated the bail conditions and hence bail could be cancelled.
The court allowed the police’s plea, confirmed Mr George’s lawyer – advocate Ajit Kumar.
The lawyer said the senior politician has been asked to appear at Palarivattom police station in Ernakulam district of the state in connection with another case of hate speech and was on his way there.
Mr. George has been granted anticipatory bail by the Kerala High Court in the case registered at the Palarivattom Police Station.
Asked whether he would appeal against the cancellation of his bail, advocate Ajit Kumar said his client would first follow the law and then decide what to do next.
The police had sought cancellation of his bail alleging that soon after the relief was granted, Mr. George addressed the visual media in front of the Judicial Officer’s Quarter, Vanchiyur, and said that he was still at the receiving end of what was said in the speech. We are adamant and were justifying what is tantamount to repeating the same crime and spreading communal hatred further.
The police had said that while granting bail, the magisterial court had directed the accused not to make or publicize controversial statements that would hurt the religious sentiments of others while on bail.
Police registered a case against George under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious act, with intent to outrage religious feelings of any class) of the Indian Penal Code. After doing so, he was arrested on 1 May. Its religion or religious belief) at Fort Police Station for allegedly making communal speeches against Muslims while addressing the ‘Anantapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan’ on 29 April.
The 70-year-old former MLA had courted controversy in Kerala by asking non-Muslims to avoid eating at community-run restaurants.
After this, on May 10, another case was registered against him for hate speech.
The Palarivattom police had on May 8 registered a case against the former MLA for his objectionable remarks during a speech he made in connection with a temple festival at Vennala in Ernakulam district.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)