The Kerala High Court on Monday restrained the police from arresting senior politician and former MLA PC George till May 26 in a criminal case registered against him for making a hate speech.

Considering the anticipatory bail plea moved by George, the high court granted him interim relief with conditions. The court will take up the case on Thursday (May 26). George moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail, days after a sessions court in Thiruvananthapuram denied him bail in the case. George, who has been untraceable since Saturday, in his bail plea in the high court said the prosecution resorted to a “pick and choose game” and highlighted “stray sentences” from a 40-minute-long speech.

Kochi city police had registered a case against George on May 10 for his objectionable remarks during a speech, which he delivered in connection with a temple festival at Vennala in Ernakulam district.

George’s anticipatory bail was dismissed by the sessions court on Saturday saying his comments prima facie appear to be of such a nature as to promote disharmony, hatred and ill will between communities.