HC grants bail to three booked for sedition for burning UP CM’s effigy

The FIR was lodged against the applicants under section 124A (sedition) and other sections of IPC at Karvi police station

The Allahabad high court has granted bail to three people who were charged for sedition under Section 124A of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly raising slogans against UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and burning his effigy in March this year. The incident had taken place under Karvi police station in Chitrakoot district.

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While granting bail to Phoolchandra Yadav, Aashutosh Agrahari and Suraj Singh, Justice Suneet Kumar observed, “Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case and considering the nature of accusation and the severity of punishment in case of conviction and the nature of supporting evidence, reasonable apprehension of tampering of the witnesses and prima facie satisfaction of the Court in support of the charge, the applicants are entitled to be released on bail in this case”.

The petitioners’ plea was that it was only a political protest and the ingredients of the offence under Section 124A Indian Penal Code, which describes the offence of sedition, were not made out. The FIR was lodged against the applicants under section 124A (sedition) and other sections of IPC at Karvi police station.

As per prosecution case, 12 named and 10-12 unknown people had raised slogans against the chief minister and had burnt his effigy. The petitioners were named in the FIR. During the court proceedings, it was urged by the counsel for the applicants that six co-accused in the case had already been granted bail. However, the state counsel opposed the bail application, saying that a prima facie case was made out against the applicants. The court gave this decision on June 22.

According to section 124A of the IPC, whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representation or otherwise brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government established by law in India shall be punished with imprisonment for life to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added.