No Relief For BJP Leader PC George For Calling 'All Muslims Terrorist' As Kerala HC Refuses Bail

Kerala High Court denied anticipatory bail to BJP leader PC George for hate speech, citing his previous bail violation in a similar case.

BJP Leader PC George was denied anticipatory bail by Kerala High Court over hate speech case.

Source : PTI

The Kerala High Court on Friday refused to grant anticipatory bail to Bharatiya Janata Party leader PC George in a hate speech case. The court said the BJP leader had violated bail conditions of a similar case in 2022 while refusing the bail. 

While hearing the matter, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan referred to a bail order of 2022 saying if the court were to grant bail in such cases, it would send out a "wrong message to society," reported The Indian Express. 

The court had directed the seven-time former MLA in the 2022 case not to make any statement that could amount to promoting religious enmity or outraging religious sentiments. 

On January 5 this year, while participating in a TV channel discussion, George said "All Muslims in India are terrorists and communalists." 

"Not a single non-terrorist Muslim lives in India. Muslims are looters who plunder the country’s wealth. Lakhs of Hindus and Christians have been slaughtered by Muslims to create a Muslim state. All Indian Muslims should go to Pakistan. All Muslims are communal demons and scoundrels," the BJP leader said. 

George was booked in a case for his statement by Kerala police under sections 196(1)(a) and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and also under Section 120(o) of Kerala Police Act based on a complaint filed by Muhammed Shihab, a native of Erattupetta in Kottayam. 

Refusing the bail, the court said since the petitioner (George) violated bail conditions of the previous case, "if granted bail in this case, people may think that, even if the bail conditions are violated, they will get anticipatory bail from the court of law. Such a message should not go to society." 

The court questioned if anticipatory bail should be granted in all cases, even if custodial interrogation of an accused is not necessary for the probe. 

Earlier, the Kottayam Sessions Court had dismissed George's anticipatory bail petition, reported The Hindu. In his petition, the BJP leader argued that it was a slip of the tongue. He made the remarks in the "heat of the moment" during a channel discussion and had apologised for the comments on his social media account, George said.