A Burhanpur court on Thursday granted conditional bail to 15 persons, arrested on sedition charges for celebrating Pakistan's victory over India in the Champions Trophy, even as the Madhya Pradesh Police on Thursday removed from field duties the Investigating Officer of the case.
The conditional bail was granted on Wednesday by the court of first Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, paving the way for their
release last night from the Khandwa Jail.
In another development, Madhya Pradesh Police today issued orders to 'line-attach' (remove from field duties) Sanjay Pathak, who was in-charge of Shahpura Police Station (in Burhanpur), where the case was registered.
Pathak was the investigating officer in the case. He has been now transferred to Mandsaur district, Burhanpur SP RRS Parihar told.
The action against Pathak, who allegedly framed a false case, comes in the backdrop of police dropping sedition charges against all the accused.
Investigations into the incident had revealed that the action of the accused did not amount to sedition and they also did not have any past criminal record.
According to defence lawyer Ubaid Sheikh, 13 of the 15 accused in the case were released last nigh on furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000 each.
The remaining two (minors) were also released later as per court orders, he said.
Police had submitted school certificates of the two accused as evidence to prove that they are minors.
