The Gangavathi police on Tuesday took into custody Siraj Bisaralli, Koppal-based poet and journalist who was booked for reciting a poem against CAA and NRC at the government-sponsored Anegundi Utsav last month, and Rajabaxi H.V., editor of kannadanet.com, who shared the recitation on social media platforms.
Mr. Bisaralli and Mr. Rajabaxi, who were allegedly absconding to avoid arrest, surrendered before the court and moved interim bail. As many as 30 advocates, including Anees Pasha, R. Jagannath, Koteshwar Rao, Srinivas Kumar, Ansad Palya and R.K Desai, appeared for the accused.
The public prosecutor, however, opposed the bail plea and requested the court to hand over the accused to police custody. Accepting the request, the court handed over the accused to police custody till Wednesday 2 p.m.
“They have not committed any crime and strongly felt it was not right to abscond. That is why they decided to surrender. I hope they will get bail tomorrow,” Mr. Jagannath, defence advocate, told The Hindu.
Following a complaint lodged by one Shivakumar Arikeri, general secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha, the Gangavathi Rural police had filed an FIR against Mr. Bisaralli and Mr. Rajabaxi on January 24 under Section 505(2) of Indian Penal Code.
The police move had attracted widespread criticism. In defiance, thousands of people further shared the recitation on social media platforms. The poem was subsequently translated into 13 languages.
