CHENNAI: The Madras High Court granted anticipatory bail to Ashvathaman, BJP State unit secretary in the case booked for the alleged offense of instigating religious hatred between two groups.

Justice TV Thamilselvi directed the petitioner to file an affidavit stating that he will not indulge in such an act in future, after hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Ashvathaman. The judge also directed the petitioner to appear before the police station at Nagoor once in a week.

Objecting to the petition the government advocate submitted that the petitioner is repeatedly involved in spreading religious hate speech and disturbing the social harmony.

It was alleged that Ashvathaman made several religious hate speech in a public meeting held at Nagoor on July 7, followed by the death anniversary of Thangammal, wife of Hindu Munnani functionary, who was killed in a parcel bomb.

Based on a complaint Nagoor police booked a case against Ashvathaman under section 196, 299, 353 (1), 353 (2) and 352 of IPC.