Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani — detained on Monday and then arrested on Tuesday on charges of sedition in connection with an event held at the Press Club of India on February 10 where anti-India slogans were raised — was sent to two-day police custody on Tuesday.
The prosecution in its remand application stated that Geelani needs to be interrogated and more people identified in the CCTV footage recovered by police so that more arrests cold be made.
“Police probe is integral part of the investigation to identify people raising slogans and the accused has said he can identify those who raised anti-India slogans. Since he (Geelani) was the convener of the meeting, therefore, the case of granting his custody to police is made out,” the court said.
Geelani, who arrived with his counsel Satish Tamta, was booked under Sections 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He was presented in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh who asked police as to why it wants police custody.
The prosecution submitted that Geelani through Delhi University lecturer Ali Javed booked the Press Club for the event and the payment was done through Geelani’s Credit card by one alleged Muddassar who is said to be a student of Jamia Millia Islamia.
Police stated that they have CCTV footage in which slogans like Maqbool Bhatt and Pakistan zindabad were raised. Banners were placed showing Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat as martyrs and anti-national slogans and also slogans were raised demanding independence for Kashmir.
Geelani’s counsel opposed prosecution’s application of custody stating that he was only the convener and the event was open for all.
“If people have come and shouted slogans, I am not responsible. I cannot get anyone arrested as I don’t recognise anybody. It was an open entry and not restricted by any invitation card. Whatever I know I have told them already since I was in custody for past one day. Besides this, every other information is available in public domain. There is no need for my custody,” Geelani’s counsel Tamta submitted.
Police told the court that Geelani will also be taken to Jamia Millia Islami to verify certain important links of investigation. Also, the court allowed him to meet his laywer in police station for half an hour.
SAR Geelani’s arrest has come at a time when row over the arrest of JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar over sedition charges in connection with an event at Jawaharlal Nehru University against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on February 9 has rocked the campus.
Geelani was arrested by the Delhi Police in the Parliament attack case that had taken place on December13, 2001, but acquitted for “need of evidence” by the Delhi High Court in October 2003. The decision was upheld by the Supreme Court in August 2005, which at the same time had observed that the needle of suspicion pointed towards him.