HC reserves orders on Haasan's anticipatory bail plea

The Madras High Court Thursday reserved its order on the anticipatory bail petition filed by MNM chief Kamal Haasan over his "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" remark made during an election meeting in the Aravkurichi assembly constituency.

When the bail plea by the actor-politician came up, Justice B Pugalendhi reserved the orders without mentioning a date.

Police in Aravakurichi in Karur district have registered a case against the actor based on a complaint filed by a right wing activist.

Haasan had filed the plea after the court on Wednesday declined to quash the FIR against him, saying that such pleas cannot be taken up as emergent petitions during the vacation and that if an anticipatory bail application was filed, it could be taken up for hearing.

The FIR against him was registered over his "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" remark that he made on Sunday.

A case was registered under sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with "outraging religious feelings" and "promoting enmity between different groups" respectively.

Haasan had contended that attempts were being made to malign his good name among the public.

He had submitted that his statement about Nathuram Godse was not a distorted one.

"In fact, he (Godse) himself in his statement during the hearing of the Gandhi assassination case and in his book "Why I Killed Gandhi" had categorically admitted that he was a Hindu and Gandhi was the reason for the partition of India," Haasan submitted.

He said he was willing to abide by the conditions for grant of anticipatory bail.