Setback for SFI: Bail plea of seven activists who stopped Governor rejected

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The bail plea of seven SFI activists who stopped Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has been rejected. The court observed that the charges against them would remain prima facie.

Seven SFI activists were arrested for blocking the governor’s car in front of the Palayam University Library and for trying to attack him after raising slogans that the governor is saffronising universities. Sections including IPC-124 punishable with imprisonment of seven years have been charged against them. This is the section that is imposed for preventing or obstructing the President and the Governor. This section is being imposed for the first time in Kerala.

The accused were initially charged for gathering, rioting and public destruction. The Raj Bhavan then asked the chief of police and the chief secretary to impose sections including IPC-124. Then changes were made on the sections. The Raj Bhavan had informed that a loss of Rs 76,357 was caused by the accused after hitting the window and bonnet of the car.

The former district govt pleader and counsel for the accused Vembayam A A Hakeem, argued that the case under section 124 of the IPC would not stand as the police did not specify in the remand report whether the governor had gone on official duty.