Daijiworld Media Network - Dharwad (SP)

Dharwad, Feb 17: Three students, who raised pro-Pakistan slogans and issued statements which attract the provisions of sedition, as per previous reports, had been released by the police for collecting more material to strengthen their case. However, after much dilly-dallying, the three accused were produced in the court today. The third JMFC court presiding officer remanded all the three accused to judicial custody till March 2.

These students had been released by the police on the basis of bonds executed by them as per Criminal Procedure Code section 169. After pro-Hindu organizations and union minister Prahalad Joshi, expressed anguish at the way the case was handled by he police and came down on them heavily, the police took all the three students into custody today and produced them in the court.

The accused being beaten up by pro-Hindu organization members

All the three are the students KLE engineering college, Hubballi. The students, identified as Aamir Mohiuddin Wani, Basit Asif Sofi and Aalib Majeed, all from Shopian district, Kashmir, had recorded video of them shouting slogans hailing Pakistan and released the footage in social websites.

Principal of KLE engineering college had said that all the three students who raised pro-Pakistan slogans,have been suspended from the college. They had joined engineering courses under the union government's quota. The principal said that as soon as the college came to know about the activity of the students, the Gokul police station was informed and the police are looking into the incident.

Police commissioner of the district R Dileep, said that the three students, who were arrested on the basis of principal's complaint, were booked under section 153/AB, 124/A relating to sedition under Indian Penal Code. Mobile phones and laptops of the students were seized. The police are looking into whether they are involved with any organizations, he stated.

In the meantime, Dharwad Bar Association had decided not to appear for the accused in the case. At the time the students were taken for judicial custody, the court premises witnessed frenzy of activities. Pro-Hindu organization members beat up the accused black and blue. The protesters also threw shoes at the police jeep.

At last, the police who brought the three students with tight police security, made them to sit in the special room. The advocates got angry at this, and argued with the advocates about putting the accused i n special room. They urged the police to keep the accused students in lockup, and not the special room.

In view of the Bar Association's pressure, the police made the students to sit in the lockup room. Thereafter they presented them before judge Pushpa. None of the advocates from Hubballi came forward to appear for the accused in the case. The judge, who gathered information about the case, sent the students to judicial custody till March 2.