KASARGOD: Writer Santhosh Echikkanam, who was arrested on Saturday for allegedly making ‘anti-Dalit’ statements, was granted bail by the Kasargod District Court the same day. As per the bail condition, he has to appear before the investigating officer every Saturday. He made the statement during the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode on February 9, 2017.
The complaint was filed by Balakrishnan, a native of Echikkanam, the village of the writer, in Hosdurg police station. In the festival, Santhosh, without naming Balakrishnan, spoke about ‘a friend.’ However, the complainant alleged the observations made by the writer amounted to insulting him by his caste.
Balakrishnan said he filed the complaint after the event was telecast on a channel and uploaded on the YouTube. Santhosh had moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail. But the court asked him to appear before the investigating officer.