Sedition case: Amid security, advocates file bail plea of Kashmiri students

A team of advocates from Bengaluru moved bail applications of three Kashmiri students, who are facing sedition charges, at the sessions court here on Friday.

The advocates team, led by Maitreyi, reached Dharwad court amid tight police security and submitted the bail application to the Court Administrative Officer (CAO).

The members of Dharwad Bar Association, who had strongly opposed the Bengaluru advocates appearing for the accused students, on Monday last, decided not to resist the entry of visiting advocates on Friday. However, a group of people outside the court premises raised 'go back' slogans.

To avoid the public glare and any possible obstruction to the entry of visiting advocates, the police escorted them into the court hall from the backdoor.

After the High Court of Karnataka took severe exception to the heckling and obstruction of advocates from Bengaluru, earlier this week, at the Dharwad court, the Hubballi-Dharwad police provided a fool-proof security to the visiting advocates. Prohibitory orders, under CrPC Section 144, were clamped in and around the court.

A contingent of a police commissioner, one SP, two DCPs, one ACP, three DySPs, 10 police inspectors, 500 constables and two platoons of KSRP and CRP were deployed at the court premises.

Earlier in the day, the advocates met three engineering students of a Hubballi college, charged with sedition for raising pro-Pakistan slogans, at Hindalga jail in Belagavi.

Complying with the high court's direction, the Hindalga jail authorities permitted the advocates to take signatures of the accused on Vakalathnama.