Press Club event: Former DU lecturer SAR Gilani sent to 14-day judicial custody

NEW DELHI: Taking no chances after two days of violence in the Patiala House Courts complex, Delhi Police today presented former Delhi University lecturer SAR Gilani, arrested on sedition charges, before a magistrate in a police station for remand proceedings.

The remand proceedings passed of peacefully far from the Patiala House Courts which was the scene of violence on Monday and Wednesday when a group of lawyers had thrashed journalists and JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar in brazen defiance of Supreme Court order.

Gilani, who was arrested in connection with an event at the Press Club of India here where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised last week, was remanded to judicial custody till March 3 by the magistrate.

He also moved a bail application which will come up for hearing before Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh tomorrow.

Earlier in the day, not wanting to take any risk, the police approached the magistrate and requested that the remand proceedings be held in a police station away from Patiala House Courts complex.

The violence had triggered nationwide outrage and the Delhi Police had come under criticism for its alleged inaction.

A magistrate then went to Chanakyapuri Police Station, about 7 kms away from Patiala House Court, for the hearing when police said Gilani was not required for any further custodial interrogation so he be remanded to judicial custody.

Advocate Satish Tamta, who represented Gilani, moved a bail application on behalf of his client and the magistrate fixed it for hearing tomorrow.

On February 16, the court had sent Gilani to two-day police custody after the agency had said they required his custodial interrogation to identify those involved in raising anti-India slogans.