A court on Wednesday rejected the anticipatory bail application of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Acharya Dharmendra, who is accused of giving a communally inflammatory speech in Bhilwara district.
"The charges under sections 153 A for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot and 295 A for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of Muslims by insulting their religious beliefs are not baseless and police investigation is still on. Therefore, the bail plea is not accepted," Additional District and Sessions judge Baljeet Kaur ruled in Gulabpura town of Bhilwara district.
The Rajasthan police is now gearing up to arrest the Acharya, a member of the margdarshak mandal [Guiding Forum] of the VHP. If convicted, he could be in jail for up to three years.
The Rajasthan police had registered a criminal case against him in the second week of March for his 'venomous' speech during a trishul deeksha ceremony in Badnor town of Bhilwara district.
Hundreds of tridents were distributed to VHP and Bajrang Dal activists during the ceremony on March 1.
Among those who received a trident from the Acharya was a Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Lok Sabha, V P Singh Badnor.
Last, month, the Acharya was arrested in Madhya Pradesh for giving an inflammatory speech. He remained behind the bars for several days before being released on bail.
On Tuesday, the Rajasthan government had banned possession, distribution and carrying of tridents.
