The Kerala High Court on November 29 (Wednesday) directed the police not to take coercive steps till December 14, 2023 against Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar in the two cases registered against him for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups by making statements in the wake of the explosions at a prayer convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Kalamassery in Kochi, Kerala, on October 29, 2023.
Justice C.S. Dias issued the interim order when the petitions filed by the Union Minister seeking to quash two FIR’s registered against him came up for hearing.
The FIRs were registered by the Ernakulam Central police under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the IPC and Section 120 (o) (causing nuisance and violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act against the Minister following his posting of his remarks on social media on the Kochi blasts and a Hamas leader’s virtual address at an event organised in the Malappuram district. The cases were registered based on complaints filed by Sarin, convener, Digital Media Cell, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, and by Pramod Y.T., sub-inspector of Police, Cyber Cell, Kochi city.
Ulterior motives: counsel
The counsel for Mr. Chandrasekhar submitted that no statement or imputations had been made by him against any community. He had only pointed out the “irresponsible actions” of the Kerala Government and the “appeasement politics” at play in the State. The FIRs registered against him were a glaring example of malicious prosecution initiated by the State government with ulterior motives.
The former chief of Hamas had made a video speech at a rally in Kerala just two days before the Kalamassery blasts. The petitioner had only pointed to the government action in turning a blind eye to the activities of “radical outfits” supporting the Hamas. He had only criticised the State Government for its failure in not paying attention to the actions of radical elements and also for the deteriorating law and order situation in the State, said the counsel.
