Hate speech case | No coercive action against Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat: High Court
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Puttur Rural police not to take any coercive action against RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat in connection with a hate speech case registered against him.
The case pertains to allegations that Bhat delivered a hate speech during a Deepotsava programme held at Uppalige in Puttur taluk. The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna while hearing a petition filed by Dr. Prabhakar Bhat (83), seeking quashing of the FIR registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Eshwari Padmunja.
Senior advocate Arun Shyam, appearing for the petitioner, submitted before the court the complete transcript of the speech allegedly delivered by Bhat, as directed earlier by the court. Additional State Public Prosecutor Asma Kousar submitted a pen drive containing a 42-minute video recording of the speech.
After accepting the transcript and video recording, the court stated that it would examine the contents of the speech before proceeding further. The bench adjourned the matter to February 5 and directed that no coercive steps be taken against the petitioner till then.
During the hearing, Asma Kousar informed the court that the petitioner is already on bail and that no coercive action is presently being taken against him. However, she also pointed out that another case on similar allegations had been registered against the petitioner recently and that such incidents appeared to be continuing. She further alleged that the petitioner was violating bail conditions.
In response, the court observed that if the petitioner was indeed violating bail conditions, the prosecution was at liberty to file an application seeking cancellation of bail. The matter was thereafter adjourned.
According to the complaint filed at the Puttur Rural police station on October 25, 2025, complainant Eshwari Padmunj alleged that during the Deepotsava programme organised on October 20 in Uppalige as part of Diwali celebrations, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat made statements that hurt religious sentiments, insulted women, and incited hatred between communities.
The complaint alleged that Bhat made remarks unrelated to the programme, referring to Hindu and Muslim women, childbirth, and made statements invoking childbirth in the name of Allah and Mahalingeshwara. It was alleged that the speech was derogatory to the dignity of women and capable of promoting enmity between Hindu and Muslim communities. The complainant sought legal action against Bhat and the organisers of the programme.
Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered against Bhat and others. Challenging this, Bhat approached the High Court seeking quashing of the FIR.
On January 19, the High Court had issued notice to the State and urgent notice to the complainant, directing the petitioner to submit the complete transcript of the speech. The court had also restrained the police from filing a chargesheet against the petitioner without prior permission of the court.
The matter will now be taken up for further hearing on February 5.
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French President Macron concludes Mumbai visit
Mumbai (PTI): French President Emmanuel Macron, along with First Lady Brigitte Macron, left Mumbai for New Delhi on Wednesday after concluding his engagements here, including bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They were seen off at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
On Tuesday, Macron held discussions with Modi as part of efforts to further strengthen India-France strategic ties.
During the Mumbai visit, the French president and his wife also met some of India's top filmmakers and actors, and had an animated exchange with them about cinema, culture and collaboration.
President Macron is on an official visit to India from February 17 to 19 at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in the national capital Delhi, besides the bilateral summit in Mumbai.
PM Modi will inaugurate the summit on February 19. As many as 20 heads of states, including French President Macron, will be present at the inaugural session, Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said.
