Bengaluru: In a significant judgment in an 11-year-old hate speech case, a court in Karnataka has convicted Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) National General Secretary Riyaz Parangipete and sentenced him to six months’ simple imprisonment besides imposing a fine of Rs 10,000. The conviction has renewed focus on the links between the SDPI and the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI), whose members had organised the protest meeting in which the alleged offence took place.
The judgment was delivered by Principal Civil Judge and JMFC, Beltangady, Ramalingappa, after the court held that the prosecution had proved the charges against the accused. The case relates to a speech allegedly delivered by Riyaz Parangipete at a protest organised by the PFI near the Beltangady Taluk Office in Dakshina Kannada district on July 23, 2015.
According to the prosecution, Riyaz Parangipete delivered a provocative speech that promoted communal disharmony, incited communal tensions and hurt religious sentiments during the public meeting. Following the speech, the Beltangady Police registered a case under Sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code. Section 153A deals with promoting enmity between different communities and acts prejudicial to communal harmony, while Section 295A relates to deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
The investigation was carried out by the then Beltangady Police Sub-Inspector and Investigating Officer Ravi B S, who recorded witness statements, collected documentary evidence and filed a charge sheet before the court. During the trial, Government Prosecutor Ashitha argued that the speech had the potential to disturb communal harmony and public peace.
After examining the oral and documentary evidence, the court concluded that the prosecution had successfully established the offence under Section 153A of the IPC. Consequently, it sentenced Riyaz Parangipete to six months’ simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. The accused retains the legal right to challenge the conviction before an appellate court.
The verdict assumes significance because the speech was delivered at a programme organised by the PFI, which was subsequently banned by the Union Government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in September 2022 over allegations of involvement in unlawful and anti-national activities. Although the offence predates the ban by several years, the judgment marks the culmination of a criminal trial arising from the 2015 event.
The conviction has also brought renewed attention to the organisational overlap between the banned PFI and the SDPI. Following the nationwide ban on the PFI, several former office-bearers and members publicly joined the SDPI in different parts of Karnataka and other states. Political opponents and investigating agencies have frequently pointed to these developments while alleging ideological continuity between the two organisations.
The SDPI, however, has maintained that it is an independent registered political party and has consistently denied allegations that it functions as the political wing or successor of the PFI.
