Kannada film actor and activist Chetan Kumar was arrested on Tuesday evening for his alleged remarks against a Karnataka High Court judge, who is hearing the petitions challenging the ban on hijab in educational institutions. A few days prior to his arrest, he took part in a protest march that was organized by various pro-Dalit organizations. M N Anucheth, the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Central Division issued a statement on Chetan's arrest and said that he was apprehended by the Bengaluru City Police and an on-its-own FIR was registered under IPC sections 505(2) and 504 in Sheshadripuram Police Station.
Chetan had re-tweeted an old tweet on February 16 that referred to Justice Krishna Dixit, who previously granted pre-arrest bail in an alleged rape case. On June 27, 2020, the actor had tweeted, "This week KA (Karnataka) High Court Justice Krishna Dixit grantd (granted) pre-arrest bail to rape-accused Rakesh B claiming 'it is unbecoming of indian woman to sleep after rape; that is not way women react when they are ravished.' What’s ‘unbecoming’ is 21st c (century) misogyny of this judiciary Dixit fossil." Retweeting the tweet from nearly two years back, Chetan wrote, "This is a tweet I wrote nearly two years ago regarding a Karnataka High Court decision. Justice Krishna Dixit made such disturbing comments in a rape case. Now this same judge is determining whether #hijabs are acceptable or not in govt schools. Does he have the clarity required?"
This is a tweet I wrote nearly two years ago regarding a Karnataka High Court decision
Justice Krishna Dixit made such disturbing comments in a rape case
Now this same judge is determining whether #hijabs are acceptable or not in govt schools
Does he have the clarity required? pic.twitter.com/Vg8VRXmJTW— Chetan Kumar Ahimsa / ಚೇತನೠಅಹಿಂಸಾ (@ChetanAhimsa) February 16, 2022
Thousands of people took part in a protest march that was held in Bengaluru on February 19 demanding the suspension of Mallikarjuna Gowda, who was the principal district and sessions judge known for raising objections to the placement of Dr. BR Ambedkar’s portrait next to Mahatma Gandhi’s on Republic Day in Raichur. He was soon after transferred as the presiding officer of the Karnataka State Transport Appellate Tribunal in Bengaluru. After Chetan was taken into custody, several Dalit activists assembled at the Sheshadripuram police station and demanded the reason for the actor's arrest.