Parliament attack accused Geelani arrested on sedition charges

The Delhi police arrested SAR Geelani, a former Delhi University lecturer, on Tuesday for sedition among other charges, reports The Indian Express. The police said Geelani had organised an event at the Delhi Press Club at which anti-India slogans were raised.

"Geelani was arrested around 3 am at the Parliament Street police station under IPC sections 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 149 (unlawful assembly)," DCP (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal said.

The former DU lecturer had been summoned to the police station on Monday night, where he was questioned and then arrested. His arrest coincides with that of Kanhaiya Kumar, president of the JNU Students' Union, who was charged with sedition for allegedly making anti-India statements at a protest meeting on 9 February against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

The police arrested Geelani after his event at the Press Club event on 10 February, where a group of people had allegedly praised Afzal Guru. Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, the police registered a case against Geelani and other unnamed persons on February 12. Geelani was booked as he is presumed to be the main organiser of the event.

Geelani had been arrested by the Delhi police in 2001 in connection with the Parliament attack case. He had been acquitted for "need of evidence" by the Delhi High Court in October 2003. The Supreme Court in August 2005 upheld that decision, but said that 'the needle of suspicion pointed towards him'.