Comments against Telugus: Chennai court grants bail to actor Kasthuri
When her bail plea came for hearing at the chief metropolitan magistrate court in Egmore, Kasthuri’s counsel submitted that she was a single parent of a special child with autism spectrum disorder. The child needs the mother’s care, the counsel said, and sought bail.
Kasthuri
CHENNAI: A court in Chennai granted conditional bail to actor Kasthuri Shankar, who was arrested for making derogatory remarks against Telugu community, especially against women.
When her bail plea came for hearing at the chief metropolitan magistrate court in Egmore, Kasthuri’s counsel submitted that she was a single parent of a special child with autism spectrum disorder. The child needs the mother’s care, the counsel said, and sought bail.
According to Tamil Nadu government sources, the State decided to consider the matter on humanitarian grounds and decided not to oppose the bail plea. Hence, the lawyer appearing for the State police informed the court that it had no objection to granting bail to her.
After hearing Kasthuri and the State, the court granted bail but with the condition that she should appear before Egmore police station daily until further order.
On November 3, Kasthuri participated in a demonstration in Chennai alleging Brahmin community in the State was facing oppression. While addressing the gathering, she allegedly made defamatory statement against Telugu community women, that triggered widespread condemnation.
Though she issued an apology, it failed to mollify the Telugu community and others, and several complaints were registered. The police in different parts of Tamil Nadu booked her under section 192 and 196 (1) of BNS.
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Her attempt to secure anticipatory bail from the Madras High Court also failed after the court rejected the apology as a mere ploy to escape the consequences of her statement. The comments she made hovered close to hate speech, as it risked inciting violence against Tamil and Telugu communities, the court said.
Based on a complaint, Egmore police registered a case against Kasthuri, who went absconding. But she was traced in Hyderabad and was arrested. It is not clear if she took her child with special needs, the one whom she cited in the bail plea.