A sessions court in Ernakulam has granted anticipatory bail to right-wing social media influencer Amrit Singh, also known as Amrit Singh Darren, who was booked by Kerala Police over allegedly communally divisive remarks in an Instagram video about Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi and the Muslim community.
Sessions Judge KK Balakrishnan passed the order on November 6, noting that Singh had no reported criminal antecedents and that appropriate bail conditions would be sufficient to address the prosecution’s concerns.
“He has no reported criminal antecedents. Sufficient conditions for bail are only needed to address the objection raised by the prosecution against the petition. Therefore, pre-arrest bail is granted to the petitioner with the following conditions,” the court observed.
Fort Kochi Police registered a case against Singh on October 24 under Sections 353(2) and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The provisions deal with statements or information intended to promote enmity between communities and provocation with the potential to cause a riot.
What did the influencer say in the video?
According to the prosecution, Singh uploaded the video on October 22 through his Instagram account, littichokha_up. The video showed beef being served at Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi.
In the video, Singh questioned the cafe’s name, which refers to a place considered sacred by Hindus. He also objected to an artwork depicting Muhammad Ali Jinnah alongside Mahatma Gandhi and commented that the cafe was located in an area predominantly inhabited by Muslims.
The prosecution alleged that his remarks could promote hatred between religious communities, create communal disharmony and disturb public order. The case was registered following a complaint by the cafe’s manager.
Prosecution opposed anticipatory bail
Singh approached the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail, saying he had visited Kerala as a tourist and that the video reflected his personal experiences and opinions about the places he visited.
He argued that the video was a travel account and did not target any religious community. He also submitted that it had not led to violence, public disorder or communal tension.
The prosecution opposed the plea, arguing that custodial interrogation was necessary to examine the purpose of Singh’s visit, his activities in Kerala and whether he had recorded or stored similar videos elsewhere.
It also claimed that the video’s circulation had led to protests and activities by various organisations, resulting in communal disharmony. The prosecution further raised concerns that Singh could influence witnesses, tamper with evidence or evade the investigation.
After hearing both sides, the court held that the prosecution’s concerns could be addressed through appropriate bail conditions and granted him anticipatory bail.
Court lays down bail conditions
The court directed Singh to appear before the investigating officer on November 17. If arrested after interrogation, he must be released on a bail bond of ₹50,000 with two sureties.
Sanatani Vlogger Amrit Singh Darren always highlighted the hypocrisy of Keralites so he was targeted
— JyotiKarma🚩🇮🇳 (@JyotiKarma7) October 29, 2026
Look at the way they stamped Modiji's photo. The same state worships Jinnah 😅 https://t.co/njw3y9FaEf pic.twitter.com/ThtbHauE17
He has also been directed to cooperate with the investigation, appear before the investigating officer whenever required, refrain from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses, and not commit any further offence.
Advocates Akhil Suresh, Kalliyani Krishna B, Anita Elizabeth Babu and Rahul T appeared for Singh. Public Prosecutor Manoj G Krishnan represented the State.
