[BREAKING] Communal speech case: Kerala High Court grants ex-MLA PC George interim protection from arrest

The Kerala High Court on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to former law maker PC George in a case registered against him for making communal remarks against Muslims in a public forum [PC George v State of Kerala]. .Justice Gopinath P admitted the anticipatory bail application that was moved after a District Court in Kerala denied him anticipatory bail on Saturday, May 21. The Court ordered that George may not be arrested till Thursday, May 26 by which time the prosecution has been directed to get instructions in the matter"The petitioner is granted interim bail till Thursday on the condition that he shall not make any communal statements to the public or to the media," the Court said in its interim order..The Court also clarified that the grant of interim bail in this case would not, in any manner whatsoever, affect the right of the prosecution to move to cancel the bail that was granted to George by a Magistrate in a separate but almost identical case. .Senior Advocate P Vijayabhanu, instructed by advocate Geo Paul, appeared for George. Director General of Prosecution Senior Advocate TA Shaji, instructed by additional public prosecutor P Narayanan appeared for the State. .In a span of ten days, PC George had two cases registered against him for delivering speeches on communal lines.On May 10, the Palarivattom Police in Kochi registered a suo motu case against George on the charge for delivering a speech on communal lines at a temple in Vennala on May 8.In this speech, which was aired on various platforms, George referred to the Muslim community in a purportedly derogatory manner, including by alluding to "love jihad"."Love jihad" is a term used to support the conspiracy theory which claims that Muslim men marry women of other religions to convert them to Islam.He has been charged under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintaining harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code.George then approached the Principle Sessions Court, Ernakulam, seeking anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure..While dismissing his anticipatory bail application, Additional District and Sessions Judge G Girish derided George's conduct in delivering such a speech mere days after he secured bail in a similar case with the same offences alleged..On May 1, George was arrested for a speech he had delivered at the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan on April 29. The State Police had allegedly received several complaints objecting to some incendiary statements against the Muslim Community.A case was registered against him under Sections 153A and 295A of the IPC.On the same day that he was arrested, a Judicial First Class Magistrate in Thiruvananthapuram granted him bail..Disclosure: The reporter's spouse is a lawyer who had represented the accused at an earlier stage.