The Kerala High Court has granted bail to Rahul Easwar, the president of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena, who was arrested on Monday morning, 17 December, from a rest house in Palakkad. The High Court has however asked Rahul Easwar not to enter Pamba in Pathanamthitta district, where the Sabarimala temple is situated.
Rahul was arrested after a local court in Ranni revoked his bail on the grounds that he violated the bail conditions. As per conditions of his earlier bail, he was supposed to report at the Pathanamthitta police station every Saturday. However, on 8 December, he failed to appear as he was in Delhi for a television panel discussion.
The High Court has also asked Rahul Easwar to appear before the station once a week.
The Kerala high Court has banned BJP leader K Surendran, Hindu Aikya Vedi leader KP Sasikala and activist Rehana Fathima as well from entering Pathanamthitta for two months.
Timeline of Events
The activist who has been vociferously against the entry of women into Sabarimala was first arrested on 17 October for protesting when the gates of the Sabarimala temple opened for the first time after the historic verdict of the Supreme Court.
Violent protests broke out that day as a mob of protesters vandalised vehicles, attacked women journalists and pelted stones at police officials.
Following this, Rahul Easwar was arrested by the Pamba police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including section 144 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), read with 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecuting of common object of the assembly), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty).
Though he was granted bail on 22 October, he was arrested again for violating bail conditions.
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