Right-wing commentator and publisher Badri Seshadri granted bail

In a significant relief for pro-saffron commentator and prominent publisher Badri Seshadri, arrested on the charge of abusing the Chief Justice of India for his remarks on the Manipur mayhem, a lower court in Perambalur district granted bail on Tuesday. -- Reports ETV Bharat's MC Rajan.

Chennai: Publisher and right-wing commentator Badri Seshadri was granted bail by District Munsif cum Judicial Magistrate Court at Kunnam in Perambalur district in the case pertaining to his 'defamatory comments' made against Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and the judiciary

Dismissing the prosecution plea seeking police custody of Seshadri for interrogation, District Munsif cum Judicial Magistrate S Kavitha granted the publisher conditional bail. The activist-publisher was arrested by the Kunnam police on July 29 from his residence in Chennai on a complaint lodged by an advocate Kaviyarasu.

In an interview to a YouTube channel, he was highly critical of the CJI for his remarks on the situation in Manipur. “The Supreme Court is like a big...I am at a loss to say what. The Court had told the government “if you can't (putting down the violence), we will step in. Chandrachud should be given a gun and asked to go there to restore peace. Courts are ignorant. Can the judiciary step into the domain of governance? Is there anything wrong with how the government handled the situation to bring back normalcy? It is a hilly terrain and a complex situation. They fight and it is going on. Murders and rape have been happening,” he had said also criticising those holding the Centre and the State accountable for the violence in the border state.

The Kunnam police booked him under various sections of the IPC including Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with the intent to cause a riot, 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), and 505 (statements leading to public mischief. Upon his arrest and remand, he was lodged in the Central Prison, Trichy. Granting bail, the court directed him to stay in Trichy and sign at the Sri Rangam police station at 10 am daily for 15 days. He was taken back to prison and is expected to be released on completion of the formalities.

BJP supporters had gathered at the court in Kunnam, about 285 km from Chennai to express solidarity with Seshadri. Earlier, the arrest led to a fierce debate on social media with many, describing him as a hate monger and supporting the government move. The BJP as expected had criticised the DMK government. However, he received support from historian Ramachandra Guha, academics, and journalists who appealed to the DMK government to release him as the arrest was an extreme step in such cases besides being inconsistent with freedom of expression.