Today, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, approaches Kerala High Court to dismiss a hate speech case. This legal step was in response to allegations stemming from his social media commentary regarding the recent Kalamassery blasts.

During the hearing the bench of Justice CS Dias, issued an order directing the State authorities to refrain from taking any coercive measures against Chandrasekhar until December 14.

Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing Chandrasekhar, contended that the accusations were unfounded and driven by political agendas. He argued that the first information report (FIR) appeared to be a product of collaboration among political opponents. Additionally, he highlighted discrepancies in the notice and raised concerns about alleged harassment in this matter.

The tragic incident at a convention center in Kalamassery on October 29 resulted in the loss of three lives, with 51 individuals sustaining injuries, some reportedly in critical condition. These blasts occurred during a Jehovah's Witnesses meeting. Shortly after the incident, Dominic Martin surrendered to the police, claiming responsibility for the attack. Following the blasts, prior to official confirmation from authorities, a segment of internet users swiftly began posting on social media, attributing blame to various communities and groups.

The Kerala Police promptly used their social media platforms to caution against any attempts to incite communal discord through social media channels. Chandrasekhar faced accusations of sharing social media posts allegedly aimed at fueling communal tensions, drawing public criticism, including from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Subsequently, on October 31, Chandrasekhar was booked by the Ernakulam Central Police Station following a complaint filed by the sub-inspector of the Ernakulam cyber cell.

The First Information Report (FIR) lodged against Chandrasekhar accused him of offenses under Sections 153, 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act.

Section 153 of the IPC penalises "wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riots", and Section 153A penalises "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony".