Kannada actor and social activist Chetan Kumar was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly hurting religious sentiments over his viral tweet where he said Hindutva was built on lies.

He was arrested by Sheshadripuram police in the city based on a complaint lodged by a Bajrang Dal activist who accused the actor of hurting religious sentiments.

Kumar was picked up from his home and later produced before a city court that remanded him to a 14-day judicial custody.

The actor has been booked under IPC sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 505 (2) (whoever circulates any material that could incite any class of persons).

If convicted, he faces up to three years in jail, with or without a fine. Kumar’s counsel has filed a bail plea, which is likely to be heard on Thursday as Wednesday is a holiday in view of Ugadi.

The actor, who goes by the name Chetan Kumar Ahimsa on Twitter, had on Monday tweeted: “Hindutva is built on LIES Savarkar: Indian ‘nation’ began when Rama defeated Ravana & returned to Ayodhya —> a lie 1992: Babri Masjid is ‘birthplace of Rama’ —> a lie 2023: Urigowda-Nanjegowda are ‘killers’ of Tipu—> a lie Hindutva can be defeated by TRUTH—> truth is EQUALITY” Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda are two fictional characters who are being projected by the BJP as the “real killers” of Tipu Sultan, the 18th-century ruler of Mysore.

While historic records show that Tipu died fighting the British at his fort in Srirangapatna near Mysore on May 4, 1799, during the fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the promoters of these two characters claim they had killed the king of Mysore.

Historians have dubbed the promotion of these two “Vokkaliga chieftains” — on whom there are no historical records — as part of an apparent attempt to deny Tipu the honour of being termed as perhaps the first freedom fighter who fought tooth and nail against the British in all four Anglo-Mysore Wars before laying down his life.

According to the police, an FIR was registered against Kumar based on a complaint lodged by Bajrang Dal activist Shivakumar on Monday.

Kumar had spent three days in judicial custody before being granted bail in February last year over a tweet in which he had commented against a Karnataka high court judge who heard a batch of petitions on the hijab issue.