Court seeks police objection to Amulya's bail petition

A lower court on Monday issued a notice to Upparpet police to file an objection over the bail petition filed by student activist Amulya Leona Noronha, who has been jailed on sedition charges.

City Civil and Sessions Court Judge Basappa Balappa Jakati gave the directions and adjourned the hearing until March 24.

Amulya, 19, was arrested under IPC sections 124A, 153A, 153B, 505(2) for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans at a programme to protest the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens in the city on February 20. But before she could complete the speech, the organisers snatched the mic, and police whisked her away.

In her defence, the student asserted that she wouldn’t have been charged with sedition had she been allowed to complete the speech.

Amulya’s bail petition stated that “she has been falsely implicated and accused of the offences which she has not committed.” Referring to her college studies (she’s a second-year student of BA (Journalism) at NMKRV College, Bengaluru), the petition stated that she has to attend classes, complete the assignments and appear for examinations.

“The petitioner is also assisting various journals of international repute as part of her training. At present, she is in judicial custody and unable to do anything and she is in a distressed condition,” the petition stated, before adding Amulya’s parents were disturbed by the developments.

The petition denied the police allegation that Amulya had stated ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ several times to bring enmity between different communities while affecting the unity and integrity of the nation. These allegations are false, the petition stated.

Ardra case

In the case of a transgender freelance designer and a member of Amulya’s inner circle, Ardra Narayanan, who was arrested a day after holding a pro-Kashmir placard at Town Hall, lawyer B T Venkatesh tweeted that the court on Monday rejected an application by Sri Rama Sena to assist the prosecution. He added that the court is set to hear Ardra’s bail application by Tuesday.