Bhopal, Feb 27 (IANS): The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday granted bail to former minister Raja Pateria over his alleged remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year. The senior Congress leader, who has been in jail for nearly the last two and a half months, finally got relief as his previous attempts to secure bail were rejected by both the district and High Court.

Pateria's alleged remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- "be ready to kill PM Modi, killing in the sense of defeat in the elections," had created a political storm in Madhya Pradesh and his comments were condemned by leaders cutting across party lines. The Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee had issued an official statement and condemned Pateria's remarks.

Following this, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra directed the police to register an FIR against the Congress leader. Subsequently, Pateria was arrested from his residence in Hatta village of Damoh district on December 13 last year. According to the police, Pateria was booked under sections 451, 504, 505 (1)(b), 505 (1)(C), 506, 153-B (1)(C) of the IPC.

Since then he has been in jail, and his multiple bail applications were rejected by the High Court. While rejecting his previous bail plea, Justice Sanjay Dwivedi of the High Court had made a long observation, which read -- "It is noticed that it has become a fashion for some public leaders to seek popularity of the followers without caring for the consequence of deliverance. This practice is not only belittling the image of public leaders in the society but also becoming a cause of increase in criminality in politics."

While addressing a gathering of tribals in his home town on December 11, Pateria had said, "Modi will end elections as he will continue to divide people on the basis of caste and religion. He is a threat to the Indian Constitution. If you want to save the Constitution, be ready to kill him."