Kannada actor Chetan arrested for alleged 'controversial' tweet about Hindutva

Kannada actor Chetan Kumar alias Chetan Ahimsa was arrested by police here on Tuesday for his alleged 'controversial' tweet about Hindutva. According to Seshadripuram police, the action was taken against the 40-year-old, who acted in several films, based on the complaint by a person named Shivakumar.

They said he has been arrested under section of IPC 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), and 505(2) (whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement or report containing rumour or alarming news with intent to create or promote, or which is likely to create or promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, feelings of enmity, or hatred).

The actor was subsequently produced before a magistrate court here, which remanded him to 14 days judicial custody, officials said.


In his tweet on March 20, which now Twitter says "doesn't exist", he had allegedly said, "Hindutva is built on lies and it can be defeated by truth, and that truth is equality".

He has also reportedly listed out as "example of lies" - Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar's statement, Babri masjid site as the birth place of Rama, and narrative that Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda killed Tipu Sultan.

The actor was arrested in February last year, for his alleged tweet on a judge who was hearing a case on whether hijabs were acceptable in government schools.