Kochi: The High Court has granted anticipatory bail to PC George in the case of making hate speech during a channel discussion. The court said that PC George is a senior political leader and should be careful.

Anticipatory bail has been granted pending consideration of the case. The court has sought an explanation from the police on the petition. The Kottayam Additional Sessions Court had earlier rejected PC George’s anticipatory bail application.

After adjourning the petition four times, the court, which considered the case last week, rejected the petition. With this, PC George approached the High Court. The Erattupetta police had registered a case against PC George under non-bailable sections such as promoting religious enmity and inciting riots on a complaint that he had made anti-Muslim remarks during a channel discussion held on January 5.

The police action was based on a complaint filed by the Youth League. PC George’s controversial remark was that Muslims in India are religious communalists and have killed thousands of Hindus and Christians.

Presenting the budget in the assembly, Finance Minister KN Balagopal announced that Rs 80 crore has been allocated for 108 ambulances in the state. The state budget has allocated Rs 3061 crore for public works bridges and roads in the state. Finance Minister KN Balagopal also announced that hilly and coastal roads will also be developed.

Minister KN Balagopal is presenting a state budget in the assembly that does not leave small entrepreneurs behind. Minister KN said in the budget that projects will be launched in local toy production by integrating Kerala’s micro, small and medium enterprises and Kudumbashree.

Rs 5 crore has been allocated for this. In addition, Finance Minister announced in the Assembly that Rs 4.1 crore has been allocated for the handicraft sector and Rs 5 crore for the coir Development Project in the budget.

Minister announced that Kerala has great potential in the health tourism sector and Rs 50 crore has been allocated for the project. He added that publicity should be done, including in foreign countries.

KN Balagopal announced that one lakh more houses will be completed under the LIFE project and Rs 1160 crore has been allocated for it. He said that Kerala welcomed 2025 with a rehabilitation announcement and that the loss due to the Mundakai-Churalmala disaster was Rs 1021 crore.

Minister  started the budget presentation in the assembly by sharing the good news that the state has overcome the economic crisis. The minister said that Kerala’s wealth structure is on the path of rapid growth and Kerala’s domestic product growth is in a very good condition.

The LDF government is the guarantee of Kerala. The service pension arrears of Rs 600 crore will be distributed in February. The central government’s policy is the reason for the DA arrears of government employees. The minister said that the employees understood this and cooperated with the government.

The court has rejected PC George’s bail plea in the hate speech case. George’s communal remarks, which insulted the entire Muslim community in Kerala, were made during a private channel discussion. The Kottayam District Sessions Court rejected the bail plea in the case.

George’s anti-Muslim remarks were made during a channel discussion held on January 5. In this complaint, the Erattupetta police had registered a case against George under non-bailable sections such as promoting religious enmity and inciting riots. The complaint was filed by the Erattupetta Municipal Youth Front.

 PC George, who is on bail in a similar case before, has once again violated the bail conditions and made hateful remarks, which has set back the case. There are indications that PC George will be arrested if his bail is rejected. Meanwhile, PC’s lawyers have announced that they will appeal to the High Court.

Palakkad: The police have filed a case against the organizers in the incident of a gallery collapse during a football match in Vallapuzha, Pattambi. Around 70 people were injured when the gallery collapsed. The stadium was built with the permission of the PWD building department, but the police said that they will check whether the accident was caused by more people than planned coming to watch the match.

There were only those who could fit in the gallery. People were admitted to the stadium through tickets. However, the organizing committee department responded to the incident saying that the reason for the collapse is not clear and that they will cooperate with legal proceedings.

The accident occurred around 10.30 pm on Tuesday. The accident occurred during the final of the Vallapuzha All India Sevens Football Match, which has been going on for a month. As soon as the spectators noticed that the gallery was about to burst, no one was seriously injured.

Kozhikode: Two teachers of MS Solutions have been taken into custody by the Crime Branch in the question paper leak case. The teachers, Jishnu and Fahad, have been taken into custody. Both were taken into custody on Wednesday morning after they reached their residence in Koduvally. The action is being taken after they failed to appear for questioning despite being ordered to do so.

Meanwhile, the owner of MS Solutions, Muhammad Shuhaib, is still absconding. The Education Department had found that MS Solutions had leaked the question papers of public schools in the last three quarterly examinations and had given them through the YouTube channel.

It was also found that students had cheated in the Onam exam in the Koduvally area, where the YouTube channel has its office. The students were finding answers to questions they got from YouTube and bringing them. Based on the complaint, the Koduvally AEO conducted an investigation and informed the Director of General Education through the Thamarassery DEO.

From March 1st, registration certificates will not be printed for vehicles registered in the state. Instead, the Motor Vehicles Department has announced that a digital RC will be issued.

The Motor Vehicles Department has announced that as part of the digitalization of registration certificates, it has decided to digitize services related to vehicle hypothecation. Therefore, banks and authorized financial institutions need to be connected to the Parivahan portal of the Motor Vehicles Department.

The Motor Vehicles Department also announced in a press release that hypothecation services related to vehicle registration certificates will be available only from banks or financial institutions connected to the Parivahan portal from March 1, 2025.

The state government had already taken a decision in this regard. The State Motor Vehicles Department had already initiated the steps to eliminate the printing of driving licenses and issue them only in digital form.

The Central Meteorological Department has issued a high temperature warning in the state. It has been announced that the temperature is likely to rise by 2 °C to 3 °C above normal in isolated places today and tomorrow (05/02/2025 & 06/02/2025). The warning states that hot and uncomfortable weather is likely due to high temperature and humid air.

In the event of high heat being reported in the state, the State Disaster Management Authority has issued cautionary instructions for the public.

High heat can cause several serious health problems including sunstroke, heatstroke, and dehydration. Therefore, the public should follow the following instructions.

A student hanged herself at the Perumbavoor Vengoor Rajagiri 
Viswajyothi Arts and Applied Science College. The deceased has been identified as Anita Binoy (21), a third-year BBA student. The body was found hanging from the window in the ladies’ hostel room. A suicide note was also found at the scene. The incident came to the attention of the hostel residents at around 7 am. The police reached the spot and conducted a detailed inspection. After they were not allowed to enter the college compound, locals protested outside the gate.