SC extends stay on proceedings in hate speech case against K Annamalai

The Supreme Court on Monday extended the stay on the trial of a criminal case lodged against Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai for allegedly delivering a hate speech against Christians in an interview to a YouTube channel in October 2022. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta asked the complainant to file his response within six weeks. "Interim order to continue. Re-list the matter in the week commencing September 9," the bench said. At the outset, the bench noted that it is a private complaint and the state has not been made party in the matter. Senior advocate Indira Jaisingh, appearing for the complainant, V Piyush, informed that it is a private complaint and sought some time to file the counter-affidavit. The proceedings in the criminal case against Annamalai were stayed by the top court on February 26. After perusing the transcript of the statements given in the interview, the bench had observed, "Prima facie, there is no hate speech. No case is made out."