Sedition case: Kashmir students in 15-day judicial custody

The three Kashmir students of KLE Institute of Technology, who were accused of raising pro-Pakistan and “azadi” slogans at the college in Hubballi on Saturday, were sent to judicial custody till March 2 by the third JMF court in Hubballi on Monday.

This comes a day after Hubballi-Dharwad police commissioner R Dileep had stated on Sunday that the students were “released” after they executed a bond under Section 169 of the CrPC.

However, in a sudden development, the police produced the students before the JMF court.

Sources also said that the police had even taken the students to the magistrate’s house, where the judge asked the police to produce them during court hours.

The police produced the students before the court based on a complaint filed by KLE Institute of Technology principal Basavaraj Anami on Saturday.

Judge Pushpa J, who heard the case on priority, asked the students if they were subjected to physical torture by the police, to which the students replied in the negative. When the judge asked them if they had any advocates to represent them, the students replied that they had not consulted their parents, and would inform the court soon. Later, the judge sent the three students to judicial custody for 15 days.

Attacked

Unruly scenes were witnessed on the court premises as soon as the students walked out of the courtroom. Activists of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad and BJP workers tried to attack the students. Video clips and an eyewitness account pointed to the students being hit with shoes and stones. The police had to use mild force to disburse the Hindu activists.

After medical tests at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Science, Hubballi, the trio was sent to Hubballi sub-jail. Heavy security was deployed in and around the sub-jail.

Advocates’ stand

Meanwhile, the Hubballi Bar Association has decided not to represent the Kashmiri students in the case. They have also decided to write to the state bar council requesting its members not to represent the “traitors”.