New Delhi: Former MLA PC George was on Thursday morning remanded to 14 days judicial custody by a local court in connection with a hate speech case. The arrest of George, one of the most controversial politicians of the state, was preceded by more than three weeks of political drama.
On Wednesday evening, before Kerala police took George to Thiruvananthapuram for further proceedings ahead of producing him in the court, news agency ANI quoted the Ex-MLA saying, "Have done no wrong or anything against the country... I have respect for the law, so I am cooperating."
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On May 1, he was first arrested from his house at Poonjar in Kottayam district and brought to the state capital and released on bail the same day. A few days later after getting bail, during an election rally in Thrikkakara in Kochi, George again resorted to a hate speech attacking the minority community.
Soon, a fresh case was registered and again he approached the court for bail and on Wednesday when he was travelling to Kochi to present himself before the Kochi police in connection with the matter, it was learned that his bail given on May 1 has been cancelled by a court in Thiruvananthapuram.
After recording his statement in the case registered in Kochi, the police team arrested the former seven-time legislator on Thursday and brought him here. He was produced before the local court this morning which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody.
Just before being taken to the Central Jail, he told media that all this is a joke. "I really don't know what's happening," said George.
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Reacting sharply to his arrest, state BJP president K Surendran who has been defending George, called it a part of the pre-written script as the Thrikkakara bypoll is just a few days away. "This is nothing but a drama as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had assured some people that George would be arrested before the polls. George has become a victim of appeasement politics," alleged Surendran.
Meanwhile, George's bail plea will come up for hearing in the High Court, later in the day. If the verdict is not in his favour, he will have to be in jail for a longer time.
(With IANS inputs)