Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu): Catholic priest Fr George Ponnaiah, who was arrested for the controversial remarks against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah, has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days. The priest in a meeting organized at Arumanai in Kanyakumari district to pay homage for the deceased activist Stan Swamy on July 18, allegedly made those derogatory remarks.
He had also allegedly made controversial statements against DMK's winning candidates in recent elections and Bharat Mata. Irked by the hate speech, BJP and Hindu outfits filed complaints against the priest in various stations. The outfits also threatened to take out protests if the priest was not arrested. Based on the complaints, the priest was arrested near Madurai at Kallikudi. The police tracked the priest with his cellphone signal and arrested him.
Madurai police handed over Ponniah to Kovilpatti DSP Udhayasuriyan. They then brought him to Tuticorin and he was later sent to Kanyakumari district. The Kuzhithurai Criminal court in the district remanded him to judicial custody for 15 days.
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