A magistrate court in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday remanded Kerala Janapaksham (Secular) leader PC George to judicial custody for 14 days in a hate speech case, The Hindu reported. Earlier in the day, the police had arrested George.
At an event organised under the aegis of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Thiruvananthapuram on April 29, George had asked the audience to avoid restaurants run by Muslims claiming that they serve tea laced with a drug that causes impotence. This was done to turn non-Muslims infertile so that Muslims could “seize control” of the country, he had said.
George had also urged Hindu and Christian women to have more children.
The 70-year-old was first arrested on April 30. On May 1, a Thiruvananthapuram court had granted him bail, but the magistrate court cancelled his bail on Wednesday.
The Kerala Police, in its petition seeking the cancellation of bail, contended that George had violated the bail conditions by again making objectionable remarks about Muslims at Kochi on May 8.
On Thursday, the magistrate court judge sent the leader to judicial custody after examining video recordings of the May 8 event submitted by the prosecution. The Kerala government told the court that the judge who had earlier released the former MLA on bail had not heard the arguments of the prosecution.
After the court order, George was taken to Thiruvananthapuram District Sub Jail in the Poojappura area.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!