A Kerala court on Friday granted Bharatiya Janata Party leader PC George bail in a hate speech case relating to allegedly derogatory remarks he made against Muslims on television, Live Law reported.

The Erattupetta Judicial First Class Magistrate Court granted George bail after the BJP leader cited health complications.

George has been booked for his alleged remarks against Muslims during a televised news debate on January 5.

The first information report was filed based on a complaint by the Muslim Youth League Municipal Committee under a section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to the promotion of enmity between groups on the grounds of religion, and a section of the Kerala Police Act that relates to powers to deal with unlawful assembly.

On February 6, a sessions court in Kerala’s Kottayam had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea. On February 21, the Kerala High Court also dismissed his anticipatory bail application, citing history of him having made allegedly communal remarks.

The High Court had noted that the BJP leader had been named in another case for making statements allegedly targeting Muslims in 2022.

On February 24, the Hindutva party leader was remanded to 14 days in police custody after his bail plea was rejected for a third time – this time, by the Erattupetta Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.

Earlier on February 24, the police had reached George’s residence in Erattupetta but found him missing. Later, the BJP leader, along with party workers and family members, arrived at the court and surrendered.

However, George approached the Erattupetta court again, citing health complications, leading to the acceptance of his bail plea on Friday.

As per current provisions, a jail sentence is optional for hate speech offences as the court has the discretion to pass a sentence or issue a fine instead.

Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, hate speech is governed by Section 196(1)(a), pertaining to the “promotion of enmity between different groups on grounds of religion”, and Section 299 related to “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs”.

Both sections stipulate a penalty of imprisonment for up to three years for hate speech offences, a fine, or with both.