Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, in custody on sedition charges, agreed to accept bail late on Tuesday night after Maharashtra Home Minster R.R. Patil’s assurance that he would examine the case against him, and also respecting the views of the Bombay High Court, according to a statement by India Against Corruption (IAC) spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon.
Mr. Trivedi will be released from the Arthur Road Jail on Wednesday.
Earlier, he had refused to accept bail granted by the High Court till the charges of sedition were dropped.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice N.M. Jamdar passed the interim order on a public interest litigation petition.
“In the facts and circumstances of the case, by this ad-interim order, we direct that Mr. Aseem Trivedi be released on bail on his executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs. 5,000,” the order said.
The plea sought Mr. Trivedi’s unconditional release and the quashing of the charge of sedition as “unjustified.”
It also called upon the court to declare his arrest and detention “illegal and bad in law.”
The court will hear arguments on the plea on Friday. Additional Public Prosecutor Poornima Kantharia told the court that she awaited instructions from the police and the State.
However, the officials concerned were in a meeting with the Chief Minister. She argued that Mr. Trivedi had the option of moving bail in the magistrate court, which he refused to exercise.
However, even as it posted the matter to Friday, the court passed the interim order of release.
Kejriwal warns of agitation
Earlier in the day, IAC member Arvind Kejriwal warned of an agitation before the Arthur Road jail, if the charge of sedition was not dropped by Friday.
Mr. Kejriwal met the Kanpur-based cartoonist in the jail on Tuesday morning along with other members of IAC.
“[By] Friday, the charge of sedition against him should be dropped. Else, we will sit right here outside the jail itself in protest. It is the MPs who disrespect the national emblems by indulging in corruption. It is they who should be booked for sedition,” Mr. Kejriwal said after meeting the cartoonist.
Mr. Trivedi’s friend Alok Dixit, who went inside the prison with Mr. Kejriwal, said the cartoonist stood firm on his stand.
‘Wrongful arrest’
Mumbai Special Correspondent writes:
Mr. Dixit told The Hindu that the option of applying for bail was there earlier too.
However, the fight is mainly against the sedition charges and Mr. Trivedi was firm that he would remain in jail till the State or Central governments gave an assurance that they will be dropped.
Mr. Dixit, IAC members Preeti Sharma Menon and Mayank Gandhi, and Gurbir Singh, president of the Mumbai Press Club, had met the Maharashtra Home Minister and asked him to drop the sedition charges.
Mr. Dixit said Mr. Trivedi was also aware that Press Council of India chairperson Markandey Katju and others had said that it was a wrongful arrest under sedition charges. While the High Court has granted moral relief, Mr. Dixit said, it was up to Mr. Trivedi to accept bail or not.
Sedition charge outrageous: CPI(M)
New Delhi Special Correspondent writes:
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemned the arrest of Mr. Trivedi for drawing cartoons and publishing them as part of an anti-corruption campaign.
“It is outrageous that he has been charged with sedition,” the Polit Bureau said in a statement, while demanding his immediate release and withdrawal of the charges.
“There is an urgent need to review the sedition clause in the Indian Penal Code, which is now being misused frequently.”
Vergheese kurien,better known as 'milkman of india" is no more.
Every sip of milk or hot beverage reminds one of the man who make
revolution facing all hurdles on the way. Looking back his pioneering
efforts, the re none to compare.No euology is enough to paraise
him.along with the white revolution he has created,he generated
employment to thousands of village folks and made "Anand" the halmark
of milk production centre.Every foreigner who visit india never fail to
visit Anand, where they could see the sofistication introduced in the
milk production. He is an inspiration to his followers in Anand.Amul
product is kurien,s trade mark.In short he has made an indelible
impression to be written in the pages of history.The void created by
his departure cannot be filled . Now we can only cherish his memory and
pray for his soul to rest in peace.
I fully agree with Mathew Panamkat.
Please respect National symbols. It symbolizes all Indians.
If you have something to criticize Indian politicians, please make it straight.
For this case, it is better to drop the case if he agrees to apologies
for in-fame against Indian emblems.
Remember friend Aseem, your cartoon makes every Indian a corrupted
fellow. Please understand.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental right enshrined in the
preample of our constitution. The job of the cartoonit is to express
his views in a humourous way.The readers should not go deep into the
subject and appreciate only the humour content. if the cantoon conveys
relevent message about what is happening it will form part of the right
to express his views. Many do not understand until it comes in the
paper as blashfemous, communal etc.India has produced many an
cartoonists and they picturise the happenings in a subtle manner to
convey the message. No one should interpret a cartoon according to his
perception.If a cartoonist is arrested for his cartoon which describes
corruption, what is wrong in it.Freedom of expression is the raison
detre for survival of democracy. it would be wise if action is taken
only cases which goes beyond "Lakmana Rekha" Anyway it is good news
that Maharashtra government has taken a positive action of releasing
him
The arrest of Aseem Trivedi manifests new nadir of the ruling
elements soaked in arrant corruption and arrogance. It is another
matter that firstly the collective public outcry against stupidity
of sedition charge over a mere cartoon and the subsequent Mumbai
High Court order granting bail to Aseem has left these vested
interests red-faced. It is indeed surprising that the police in
Maharashtra which always acts deaf and dumb as “Biharis” and
“Bhayyas” are publically attacked in Mumbai with vitriol, acted with
such alacrity against the so-called “crime” of a political
cartoonist and slapped charge of sedition against him! It also
indicates the pathetic level of legal advisors relied upon by the
administration, who obviously forgot the law of the land relating to
sedition as interpreted by the Supreme Court long ago in Kedar Nath
Singh case. Governments today both at the centre and some states
are showing alarming and consistent downfall of political morality
in the ruling class. The trend of misuse of coercive laws needs to
be checked at the earliest by whatever party or government it is
resorted to.
While I do not approve of the arrest of Aseem Trivedi, I also believe that the national symbols and the constitution are beyond polititions and they are sacred.
In India we revere symbols. Trivedi could have used any other device to communicate the same idea.
Please Email the Editor