The Ernakulam District and Sessions Court dismissed the anticipatory bail petition of former MLA PC George, on Saturday, May 21, in connection with a hate speech case. Earlier this month, on May 1, he was arrested and granted conditional bail by a local court in the state capital city for a similar offence.
Addressing a programme organised as part of the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan, George had alleged that tea laced with "drops causing impotence" was sold in Muslim-run restaurants to turn people "infertile" in a bid to "seize control" of the country, a claim that has previously been debunked as false.
Out on bail, George — known for his provocative speeches, especially when it comes to attacking his adversaries — landed in trouble when he made a similar speech in Kochi. When Kochi City Police Commissioner CH Nagaraju said that George will be arrested as he has committed the same crime again, which is a violation of the bail conditions, George approached the Ernakulam District and Sessions Court seeking anticipatory bail, which was dismissed on Saturday.
Reacting to it, his son Shaun George said this is a vindictive approach of the Kerala government and now that the local court has denied bail, they were going to move the High Court with an anticipatory bail application.
On May 1, George was arrested over hate speech charges from his house and granted conditional bail later by Thiruvananthapuram Judicial first class magistrate court (II), Justice Asha Koshy. After being released on bail in a hate speech case on May 1, George defended his controversial remarks and claimed that his arrest was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s “Ramadan gift for terrorist Muslims.”
He was then booked by the Palarivattom police, on May 8, over objectionable remarks he made during a speech about a temple festival at Vennala. The case was registered under Section 153 (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC.
George had lost the 2021 Assembly elections from his home constituency Poonjar and the one major reason why he lost is he antagonised the Muslim community in his constituency, who for long has been his mainstay.
(With IANS inputs)