PC George granted interim relief till 26th May - Kerala HC

COURT: Justice Gopinath P of Kerala High Court 

CASE: PC George v State of Kerala

The HC granted interim protection from arrest to senior politician and former MLA PC George. He is registered in a case for making communal remarks against the Muslim community in a public forum.

On Saturday, May 21, a district court in Kerala denied him anticipatory bail. PC George moved to the Kerala HC seeking such protection. The court allowed protection to George till May 26 on a condition that he would not make any communal statements in the media or publicly. The Court, however, made it clear that the grant of interim bail would not affect the right of the prosecution to move and to cancel the bail granted to PC George in a different case but identical case by a Magistrate.

FACTS

Two cases have been registered against PC George within 10 days for delivering speeches on communal lines. 

On May 1, George was arrested for a speech he had delivered on April 29 at the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan. The Police received several complaints objecting to some derogatory statements made by him against the Muslim Community. He was again registered u/s 153A and 295A of the IPC. However, the Judicial First Class Magistrate in Thiruvananthapuram granted him bail on the same day.

On May 10th, the Palarivattom police registered a suo motu case against him for delivering communal remarks in Vennala (a temple) on May 8.

The speech, aired on various platforms, showed that George referred to the Muslims in a purportedly derogatory manner, including indicating to "love jihad". He has been charged under the Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion and deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings. 

HELD

The HC, while granting interim bail, made it clear that George shall not make any communal remarks publicly.