The Supreme Court extended till September the stay on trial against Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K Annamalai over his alleged remarks against a Christian missionary non-profit.The Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta was considering Annamalai’s special leave petition against a February 8 Madras High Court order refusing to quash the trial court proceedings in the hate speech case.
Notice was issued to the complainant (V Piyush) on Annamalai’s plea on February 26, when the court also granted temporary relief of stay on the trial proceedings.
In view of a request by the counsel for respondent-complainant, the matter was adjourned today till week commencing September 9. Till that time, the interim order shall continue, Justice Khanna said.
In a YouTube interview, Annamalai allegedly stated that a Christian missionary non-governmental organisation (NGO) was responsible for seeking a ban on firecrackers, a statement that drew significant attention and controversy. Following the circulation of video clippings from the interview on social media, a complaint was filed by V Piyush, an environmentalist, expressing concerns that the remarks could incite hatred between communities.
After being initially turned away by authorities, Piyush invoked Sections 156(3) and 200 CrPC before a judicial magistrate in Salem. The judicial magistrate, on finding a prima facie case under Sections 153A and 505(1)(b) IPC, issued summons to Annamalai.