Thiruvananthapuram: A magisterial court in Kerala on Wednesday granted time till next week to senior politician P C George to file his objections against a plea moved by the police to cancel his bail in a case accusing him of making a hate speech against Muslims in the state recently.
The court allowed the request of George's lawyer -- advocate Ajith Kumar -- for time to file objections and listed the matter on May 17.
The police, in its plea, have alleged that the senior politician violated the bail conditions.
The conduct of the accused subsequent to the grant of bail is in sheer violation of the bail condition and therefore the bail granted to him is liable to be cancelled under Section 437(5) of CrPC on that ground alone, it has said in the plea.
The police have also alleged that soon after he was granted bail, George addressed the visual media in front of the Judicial Officer's Quarters, Vanchiyoor and said he is still sticking to what he stated in the speech and was justifying the same which amounts to repetition of the same crime and spreading communal hatred further.
The police has pointed out that the court, while granting bail, had directed the accused not to make and propagate controversial statements which may hurt the religious sentiments of others while on bail.
The police had arrested George on May 1 after registering a case against him under Indian Penal Code Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) at Fort Police station for allegedly making a communal speech against Muslims while addressing 'Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelanam'on April 29.
The 70-year-old former MLA had sparked a controversy by asking non-Muslims in Kerala to avoid eating at restaurants run by the community.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, another case was registered against him on charges of hate speech.
Palarivattom police booked the former legislator over his objectionable remarks during a speech that he delivered in connection with a temple festival at Vennala in Ernakulam district on May 8.