SAR Geelani sent to 2-day police custody

Former Delhi University professor S.A.R Geelani, who was arrested by the Delhi police under sedition charges, was later on Tuesday remanded to two-day police remand by a city court.

Mr Geelani was called by the police for questioning on Monday to the Parliament Street police station where he was grilled for several hours in connection with a function where some people had raised anti-India slogans. He was finally arrested at about 3 am.

New Delhi DCP Jatin Narwal said Mr Geelani has been booked under Sections 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC. The police told the court that Mr Geelani was required for interrogation to identify the other accused who were shouting pro-Afzal Guru and anti-India slogans at the Press Club of India event.

The police also questioned DU professor Ali Javed, also a PCI member, who booked the Press Club for the controversial event after speaking to Mr Geelani. About 50 people had assembled at the event and Mr Geelani was the main speaker. He allegedly started “shouting anti-India slogans” and some others also joined him.

The police said Mr Geelani was called for questioning on Monday and asked about the “anti-India” slogans raised by participants at the event. A source said Mr Geelani “confessed before the police that he was a part of assembly shouting anti-India slogans.”

Now, the Delhi police is likely to confront him with the footage of the event of PCI and will ask him to identify the accused.