A trial court here refused to restrain the arrest of Janapaksham leader P.C. George in the hate speech case.
K. Kamanees, Additional District Judge, who held the vacation sitting of the Sessions Court, refused to pass an order in the plea for an interim bail for want of case records.
Though the counsel for the accused argued for a stay against a possible arrest in the case booked by the City police, the judge refused to entertain the plea.
The counsel had submitted that Mr. George was an aged man and he was granted bail by a trial court in Thiruvananthapruam on similar charges.
The trial court called for the records in the case. It also posted the case for May 16.
The police had booked the case against Mr. George under Section Section 153A and 295 of the Indian Penal Code for a speech made at Vennala in Kochi.
While the Section 153A deals with the offence of promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, the Section 295A deals with deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
