Fri Feb 28 06:22:29 UTC 2025: ## Former BJP Leader P.C. George Granted Bail in Hate Speech Case
**KOTTAYAM, KERALA –** Former Kerala legislator and senior BJP leader P.C. George, 74, was granted bail on Friday by the Erattupetta Magistrate court in a hate speech case. The court cited health concerns as the reason for granting bail, despite objections from the prosecution and the complainant, the Muslim Youth League.
George, who had been remanded for 14 days since February 24th, is currently under observation in the cardiology ICU of the Government Medical College, Kottayam. The charges against him stem from remarks made during a January 2025 television debate, which the Muslim Youth League alleges were inflammatory and incited religious hatred. He is charged under Sections 196(1)(a) and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 120 of the Kerala Police Act.
Prior to his arrest, George’s attempts to secure anticipatory bail in a sessions court and the Kerala High Court were unsuccessful. This is not his first encounter with hate speech allegations; he faced similar accusations in 2022 for remarks made at events in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
First Piper 