Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani gets bail in sedition case

New Delhi: Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani has been granted bail by a Delhi court in a sedition case related to an event conducted at the Press Club last month. [caption id=“attachment_2685372” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image courtesy: IBNLive[/caption] Additional sessions judge Deepak Garg granted the relief to Geelani on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of the amount. Geelani’s counsel, Satish Tamta sought bail, claiming there is nothing on record that Geelani shouted anti-India slogans or asked others to do so. It was a meeting of intellectuals to discuss the Kashmir issue, he said. “There was nothing in the event which led to any violence as there was nothing that could be called incitement,” Tamta said, adding that as per the Supreme Court order, shouting slogans merely doesn’t amount to offence under section 124-A(Sedition) of the Indian Penal Code. However, the Delhi police had opposed the bail plea saying the event was “an attack on the soul of India” and it was “contempt of court”. “The incident was a continuation of what had happened at JNU a day earlier. As per the statements of Press Club of India officials, anti-India slogans were shouted and Geelani was also involved in them. Geelani had violated the law of the land and the offence was grave,” the prosecution added. Earlier, on February 19, a magisterial court had dismissed the bail plea of Geelani, who was arrested on February 16, after the police had alleged that “hatred” was being generated against the government. PTI