Hate speech: Court sends Varun Gandhi to jail

The Pilibhit court has sent Varun Feroze Gandhi, the great grandson of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, to jail for abusing and threatening to kill Muslims.

Varun, who had delivered an allegedly offensive and inflammatory speech targeting the Muslims and Sikhs during his election campaign in Pilibhit, was sent to jail on judicial custody.

The next hearing will be held on March 30. Till then Varun will be lodged in the jail where he will have to spend two nights. The criminal charges against him are of serious nature including causing enmity between sections of the society.

As it was a non-bailable offence, Varun today reached the court and surrendered. He courted arrest amid high drama as thousands of BJP workers holding saffron flags and chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' followed him in the form of a procession.

After the judge ordered him to be sent to prison, his supporters raised slogans in his favour and clashed with police. They surrounded the police vehicle taking Varun and tried to stop it.

Outside the jail also there was commotion. The police had to resort to cane-charge and burst tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. Varun Gandhi is the BJP's official candidate for the elections from Pilibhit constituency.

TIH Bureau