Advocates appear for Nalini in sedition case

Amidst ban by Mysuru Bar Association, advocate Jagadish from Bengaluru appeared for B Nalini, a student, in the sedition case. The accused is also backed by 129 advocates, including a few from Mysuru, led by Manjula Manasa, former chairman of Karnataka State Women’s Commission.

The Second Additional District and Sessions Court will take up the hearing of the case under IPC Section 124A against Nalini, at 3 pm.

The case came up for hearing on January 14 for the first time, but Public Prosecutor Anand Kumar had sought time to file objections against the anticipatory bail of Nalini and the hearing had been adjourned for January 20 (Monday). On Monday morning, the judge adjourned the case for 3 pm.

It has to be recalled that Nalini, a student of MDes, in photography design, National Institute of Design, in Gandhinagar, had allegedly displayed a ‘Free Kashmir’ placard, during a protest on January 8, opposing the attack on JNU students and teachers, at Manasagangotri, the University of Mysore (UoM) campus, in Mysuru. Organisations, such as UoM Researchers Association, Dalit Vidyarthi Okkuta, Bahujan Vidyarthi Sangha, Students' Federation of India, and All India Democratic Students Organisation, had organised the protest.

While Jayalakshmipuram Police filed a suo moto case on January 9, the UoM Registrar also filed a case on the same day. Pruthvi Kiran, the advocate, who helped Nalini to get anticipatory bail on January 10, stayed away, citing personal reasons. Pruthvi Kiran is a family friend of Nalini. She had appeared before the Police on January 11, along with her father.

On January 14, the Mysuru Bar Association decided not to represent Nalini in the executive committee meeting, following a plea by a few advocates to discuss the issue. However, on January 16, a section of advocates and activists urged the Mysuru Bar Association to review its decision. Thus, a meeting of the association was held on Monday morning.

“A majority of the members, almost 99%, were against representing Nalini. This is a sedition case, which is related to national integrity and sovereignty. The members feel that it is not proper to defend such cases. Thus, it was decided to suspend the member, if he or she appears for Nalini,” said B Shivappa, secretary of the association.