Bhubaneswar: Kandhamal Lok Sabha candidate Ashok Sahu of BJP moved the Orissa High Court seeking anticipatory bail on Monday. Sahu faces arrest for his alleged hate speech during a recent campaign in Kandhamal.

This came close on the heels of the reports that Sahu was detained by Nayagarh police on Sunday night. However, he was let off following the absence of arrest warrant near the cops.

Sahu, a retired IPS officer, ran into trouble after delivering alleged inflammatory speech before a huge audience at Raikia in the riot-hit Kandhamal on April 5. The administration had slapped a case against Sahu under section 125 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with elections) and section 153 (A) of IPC (promoting enmity between classes). “Sahu is facing same charges which were used in case of Varun Gandhi,” a senior BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, adding to his woes, the Election Commission on Saturday directed the district magistrate of Kandhamal to add two more sections - Section 505 and Section 295 - under IPC in the criminal case against Sahu. Taking strong exception to the EC directive, Sahu said the commission had gone out of the way to take stern measures against him.

While Sahu termed the hate case against him as “politically motivated”, senior BJP leader Bishwabhushan Harichandan alleged it was part of a conspiracy against party candidates and activists to disturb their campaigning. According to the FIR lodged at Raikia police station, Sahu allegedly accused the minority community directly for killing VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati.

“We have audio-recording of Sahu's speech at Raikia meet which was to be addressed by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on April 5,” a senior police officer said adding the speech had the potential of igniting communal flare-up in the riot-hit district.

Sahu could face a jail term for up to three years under the charges leveled against him, sources said.