George hoodwinked the police to evade arrest and surrendered in the court on Monday.
Published Feb 24, 2025 | 8:05 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 24, 2025 | 8:05 PM
PC George. (Wikimedia Commons)
Synopsis: Former Poonjar MLA PC George is no stranger to controversy. On Monday, he surrendered before a Kerala court — after hoodwinking police — in a hate speech case. The court granted the police his custody for four hours, and by evening denied him bail, and sent the politician to jail.
A local court in Kerala’s Kottayam district on Monday, 24 February, remanded BJP leader and former MLA PC George in judicial custody till 10 March in a hate speech case.
George, who was denied bail by the Kerala High Court on Friday, 21 February, surrendered before the Erattupetta court around 11 am on Monday, even as the police waited to arrest him at his residence.
After his surrender, the court granted the police his custody for four hours. However, the court took up his bail plea early, rejected it, and sent him into custody.
The case pertained to George’s alleged derogatory remarks against the Muslim community during a TV debate on 5 January. Following his remarks, a case was filed against him under sections 196 (1)(a) and 299 of the BNS, and Section 120 (O) of the Kerala police act.
The high court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition citing previous instances in which he had made derogatory statements, and his repeated violation of bail conditions. Granting him bail, the court said, would send a wrong message to society.
A case was registered against George for an alleged similar offence in 2022. The court had then granted him bail on the condition that he would refrain from making statements that could incite religious enmity.
However, it was alleged that he violated the condition during the TV debate on 5 January.
After the high court denied him anticipatory bail, the police repeatedly visited his house. However, it was reported that he was not found.
Incidentally, George had been arrested in similar cases earlier.
