Hate article: Swamy gets anticipatory bail

In a reprieve for Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy,the Delhi High Court granted him protection from arrest in connection with a case related to an alleged inflammatory article in a Mumbai daily

In a reprieve for Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy,the Delhi High Court on Monday granted him protection from arrest in connection with a case related to an alleged inflammatory article in a Mumbai daily.

In the event of arrest,he shall be released on furnishing of a personal bond and a surety of Rs 25,000 each, said Justice M L Mehta while taking on record Swamys undertaking that he would refrain from writing such articles in the future.

Though writing an article based on a book is a fundamental right of a citizen but this right has to be observed with certain reasonable restrictions which have to be taken care of, said the court,also appreciating Swamy for giving an unequivocal undertaking that he will obey the restrictions imposed on him.

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You are a very wise man. You write whatever you want to write but follow the reasonable restrictions. I appreciate your gesture of filing an undertaking, Justice Mehta said while disposing of Swamys bail application.

In response to courts observation that India is a secular country and emotions of every section of the society have to be respected,Swamy said,I have Muslim relatives. I have Christian relatives. I have a Parsi wife.

The court also observed that no case of communal disharmony has been reported after publication of the alleged inflammatory article on July 16 last year.

The Delhi Police had earlier opposed Swamys anticipatory bail plea,saying the matter was serious.