The court refused to stay the investigation as sought by Bhat's counsel but ordered the continuation of the interim order of 28 December.
An FIR was filed against RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhatt for delivering hate speech in Mandya on 24 December. (Supplied)
The High Court of Karnataka, on Friday, 19 January, extended the protection against coercive action by the state against RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat in connection with his speech made on 24 December 2023 in Srirangapatna allegedly disparaging Muslim women.
Bhat is alleged to have stated that “Modi government gave permanent husbands to Muslim women”, among others.
The high court, on Friday, directed the state to submit the entire transcript of the speech made by Bhat before it.
This followed the argument of the counsel for Bhat, Arun Shyam, who submitted before the court that selective phrases and words from his speech have been mined to show him in bad light.
This selective picking of words from the speech was an attempt to frame him on wrong criminal charges due to political pressure.
The counsel for the complainant argued before the HC that Bhat was a habitual offender and has made such offensive and communal speeches across Karnataka. It was the duty of the prosecution to provide the transcript of the speech and not the complainant, he argued.
He also submitted that facilities to play the video in the court should be made available.
The HC refused to stay the investigation as sought by Bhat’s counsel but ordered the continuation of the interim order of 28 December not to take coercive action preventing his arrest.
Meanwhile, the III Additional District and Sessions Judge in Mandya granted bail to Bhatt in the Srirangapatna case following his submission about his health condition.
Bhatt underwent cardiovascular surgery on 5 April 2022. “Hence there is substance in the contention of the petitioner that he is suffering from severe cardiac health issues,” the Sessions Court noted, and citing earlier Supreme Court judgements, granted Bhatt anticipatory bail.
He was directed to submit a personal bond for ₹2 lakh and a surety for a like sum.
The Sessions Court, however, clarified that the “investigator is at liberty to interrogate him as provided under relevant provisions of the CrPC.”
His statements, particularly targeting the Muslim community, ignited a firestorm of criticism, Nazma Nazeer to lodge a complaint against Bhatt at the Srirangapatna Police Station on 26 December.
In her complaint, Nazma alleged that Prabhakar was a “frequent offender” and had indulged in provoking communal tension and issuing derogatory remarks targeting women. She demanded stringent action against the RSS leader.
Nazma alleged: “Prabhakar Bhatt, speaking at the Sankirtana Yatra ceremony organised as part of Hanuman Jayanti, said Muslim women have one husband a day and that they do not have a permanent husband. He also said that the Modi government had given them permanent husbands.”
She claimed he said that young Muslim men as well as women were cheating people, and that Hindu men and women were being trapped with Love Jihad.
She also alleged that he asked people: “Aren’t there men and women on your side?”
“This statement is a case of inciting the public to sexually abuse and dominate women. This statement is about the violation of women’s privacy, sexually abusing a woman, inciting the public to use force on a woman, threatening a woman’s private matter, speaking indecently about a woman in a public place, teasing women in public, disturbing the dignity of women. This is an offence under IPC Sections 294, 354, 509, and 506,” pointed out Nazma.
Najma Nazeer — leading JD(S) leader and social activist — had lodged the complaint and the police in Srirangapatna had booked Bhatt under various sections of the IPC.
The sections were:
(With PTI inputs)
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