We won’t arrest Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat in hate speech case: Karnataka govt’s lawyer tells HC
Bengaluru: During the hearing of a petition seeking the quashing of the case against Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for making derogatory remarks about Muslim women, the government's lawyer informed the High Court on Thursday that there is no intention to arrest Prabhakar Bhatt.
The case against Bhat was registered following his controversial comments praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, particularly applauding the criminalization of triple talaq. Bhat claimed that Muslim women were granted "permanent husbands" through this legal intervention.
In response to the petition filed in the High Court seeking the quashing of the case, Bhat's counsel argued that it was a politically motivated complaint and cited the accused's age and health condition. The counsel requested the court to stay the FIR, expressing concerns that Bhatt might be arrested.
S. Balan, the advocate for the complainant, objected to the stay, highlighting the impact of Bhat's statements on society and the ongoing protests. Balan suggested filing sedition charges, including UAPA, against Bhat, characterizing him as a potential instigator of communal riots.
The government's lawyer clarified during the hearing, "We do not intend to arrest Prabhakar Bhat in this case," and requested the court to schedule the next date for the trial. The trial judge, taking note of the government's stance, stated, "There is no need to discuss the stay on the case if the government does not intend to arrest Bhat." The hearing was adjourned to January 9, 2024.
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'Protecting those in power': Netizens slam ANI for deleting tweet showing rats in UP hospital
New Delhi: News Agency Asian News International (ANI) reportedly removed a video from its official X (formerly Twitter) handle that showed rats roaming freely inside a patient ward of a government hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district, triggering criticism from social media users.
The now-deleted video allegedly showed rats moving around inside the orthopaedic ward of Gonda Medical College.
Fact Checker and Journalist, Mohammed Zubair questioned the ANI Editor Smita Prakash on why the tweet was deleted and a clarification of the Superintendent of the hospital was posted instead.
In a post on ‘X,’ he wrote, “Hello @smitaprakash, Why did your News agency delete the tweet showing Rats roaming around inside a patient ward in Govt hospital in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh? You instead shared a clarification by Superintendent of the hospital.” (SIC)
Hello @smitaprakash, Why did your News agency delete the tweet showing Rats roaming around inside a patient ward in Govt hospital in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh?
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 14, 2026
You instead shared a clarification by Superintendent of the hospital pic.twitter.com/9rZWSDt7Yc https://t.co/Bc3SarJJ8H
#WATCH | Gonda | On viral video showing rats roaming in hospital, Dr DN Singh, Superintendent, Autonomous State Medical College & Babu Ishwar Sharan hospital, says, "We have constituted a committee, and on the basis of its report, we will take further action. The existing… pic.twitter.com/2JjP1Krc80
— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2026
Reacting to the development, a user @makhdoom_irfani wrote, “Journalism should question power, not protect it.”
Journalism should question power, not protect it.
— Makhdoom Irfani (@makhdoom_irfani) January 14, 2026
Many other users echoed similar concerns. Reacting to the post, one user commented, “clarification??? In which universe can rats in a hospital be clarified ..???”
“Today's journalism is shame!,” said another.
Another user drew a comparison with the National Medical Commission’s decision to shut down a medical college in Kashmir over an alleged overwhelming number of Muslim students admitted to medical courses. The user wrote, “The Medical Council will not cancel the licence of this college because not many Muslim students are studying here.”
The Medical council will not cancel the license of this college, because not many Muslim students are studying here.
— Zahur (@Zahur82446025) January 15, 2026
“Deleting evidence and posting a “clarification” doesn’t fix the problem. It only raises questions about credibility and selective journalism,” remarked another.
@ANI deleted the tweet showing Rats roaming around inside a patient ward in Govt hospital in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.
— Sanjay-সঞ্জয় (@BhaiOfTotla) January 15, 2026
pic.twitter.com/1zWwbK1HC8
What is the issue ?
The controversy began after a video showing rats moving freely inside the orthopaedic ward of Gonda Medical College surfaced on social media.
The video reportedly recorded two days before went viral across social media.
Following the circulation of the video, the district magistrate ordered an inquiry into the incident. According to a PTI report, anti-rodent medicines were sprayed across the wards as an immediate measure.
The principal of the medical college, responding to the incident, stated that food brought into hospital wards by attendants attracts rodents.
He added that medicines had been sprayed in all wards and claimed that rats were no longer visible, while assuring that the administration would not tolerate any negligence related to patient safety. A detailed investigation into the matter is currently underway.
