Kannada film actor and activist Chetan Kumar A, who was arrested for allegedly making comments against a Karnataka High Court judge, was granted bail on Friday. The bail order said, "The accused shall not commit an offence similar to the offence of which he is accused. He shall not make, publish, post, or circulate any derogatory/ provocative statements in any manner so as to disturb communal harmony and public peace.” On Tuesday, the Bengaluru police had arrested Chetan for allegedly making comments against a Karnataka High Court judge who is part of a bench hearing the hijab issue. The police, who took up a suo moto case, arrested him under sections 505 (2) and 504 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The arrest raised eyebrows as the action came six days after he tweeted. Last Saturday, the actor had participated in a huge march demanding suspension of then Principal District and Sessions Judge Mallikarjuna Gowda, who allegedly objected to placing a portrait of BR Ambedkar next to Mahatma Gandhi’s on Republic Day in Raichur. He was later transferred as the presiding officer of the Karnataka State Transport Appellate Tribunal, Bengaluru.
