Bengaluru, Mar 6: All the arrested in a case of sedition filed over a school play in Karnataka's Bidar have been granted anticipatory bail by a court that said the case lacked enough basis.
The play, themed on protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), "has not caused any disharmony in the society", said the district and sessions court in Bidar.
The play, performed in January by the children of prestigious Shaheen School, landed in trouble when a sedition complaint was filed over an 11-year-old girl's lines - enacting an elderly woman, she said if anyone asked for documents she would hit them with slippers.
That led to a sedition case and the police questioning children, teachers and the school management over many rounds.
"The drama has not caused any disharmony in the society. Considering all the circumstances, I am of the opinion that the ingredients of Section 124A of IPC (Sedition) are prima facie lacking," said the court.
Five members of the school management team have been granted protection from arrest. Earlier, the head teacher and the mother of the student who spoke the dialogue were sent to custody, but on other charges including the abetment of an offence. They were not accused of sedition. They were later granted bail.
The repeated questioning of young students and the arrest of the widowed mother of a student caused a huge uproar in the town.
An order is expected soon on the bail application in another sedition case in Karnataka, against three Kashmiri students. The students, who were studying in Hubbali in north Karnataka, are facing charges for reportedly using pro-Pakistani slogans in an online post. The Hubbali Bar Association had asked its members not to represent the students. Lawyers from Bengaluru who went to Hubbali represent the students were heckled.
On Thursday, a team of lawyers from different districts again went to Hubballi and were provided police protection. BT Venkatesh, one of the lawyers, said he had a meeting with bar association members and that the matter was sorted out. The students have applied for bail and an order is expected next week.
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Gaddar man with gaddar people of DK....one of my hindu friend told me that he will vote for BJP because they protect hindu from muslim...i asked him we are just 14% and you are 80% why you scared of us...he told muslim are lions but we are D**S....lol
in DK most hindu are communal so muslim must thing before making friend with them...this india belong to muslim and we will take it with or without blood..jai south india
Yes because of your present 4years terrific effort India so advanced and standing in 25th century. So pls stop feku giri .
Patriot Indians please save our Nation India and our Constitution.
Jai Hind Jai Karnataka Jai Tulynaad !
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