Vlogger Amrit Singh Darren granted anticipatory bail in Fort Kochi communal remarks case

The Ernakulam Sessions Court has granted anticipatory bail to north Indian travel vlogger Amrit Singh Darren, who was booked for allegedly making communal remarks about Fort Kochi in an Instagram video titled ‘Keralam is in danger’.

Sessions Judge KK Balakrishnan passed the order on November 6, allowing the bail application filed by Amrit Singh under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which deals with anticipatory bail. He is the sole accused in the crime registered at Fort Kochi police station under Sections 353(2) (promoting communal enmity) and 192 (provocation to cause riots) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The court directed Amrit to appear before the investigating officer on or before November 17. In the event of his arrest, he shall be released on bail after executing a bond of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties for the like amount.

The prosecution had opposed the bail plea, arguing that custodial interrogation was necessary for a detailed investigation. According to the investigating officer's report, the device used by the accused to record the video needed to be seized to collect further evidence and ascertain whether similar videos were available on it or stored elsewhere.

The investigating officer also said that his connections and activities in Kerala needed to be examined and that his actual intention behind visiting the state in connection with the case had to be ascertained. The prosecution further apprehended that he might tamper with evidence or influence witnesses if released on bail.

The Public Prosecutor submitted that the circulation of the video had prompted various organisations to hold protests, demonstrations, and other activities, creating communal disharmony. The prosecution also expressed concerns that the accused might abscond if granted bail.

Opposing these arguments, Amrit's counsel submitted that he was a professional actor, filmmaker, and producer with over three lakh followers on Instagram. He contended that the video was a travel narrative based on his visit to Fort Kochi and contained his personal impressions and opinions about the locality.

According to the bail application, Amrit had visited Kerala for leisure and travelled from Varkala to Kochi on October 16. He visited Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi and subsequently uploaded the video on October 22. His counsel argued that the video was not intended to provoke hostility against any religious or regional community and that no incident of violence, public disorder, or communal tension had been reported as a consequence of it.

The case was registered following a complaint by the manager of Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi.

According to the prosecution, Amrit uploaded the video on his Instagram account on October 22, in which he highlighted that beef was being served at an art cafe named after Kashi, a sacred place for Hindus, and that the establishment was situated in an area predominantly inhabited by Muslims. He also showed an art work that placed Muhammad Ali Jinnah alongside MK Gandhi at the cafe.

In the video titled ‘Keralam is in danger’, Amrit questioned the cafe's name, its menu, and the Gandhi-Jinnah artwork. He also made claims about the Muslim population in Fort Kochi, alleging that 95% of business owners, taxi and autorickshaw drivers, and small traders in the area were Muslims. He further alleged that the Kerala government was receiving funds from Arab countries to promote Islam and called on the Union government to intervene.

The video triggered widespread criticism, with political leaders across the state condemning the remarks and accusing the vlogger of attempting to create communal divisions.