Allahabad, Aug 26 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail plea of an anti-CAA activist arrested on charges of being a participant of an unlawful assembly which made hate speeches and seditious statements during a protest against the last year's changes in the citizenship law.
While denying bail to Azamgarh resident Osama on Tuesday, Justice J J Munir directed the lower court to complete the trial within six months.
"It is a case where inflammatory speeches and seditious statements besides statements aimed at promoting enmity between different religions were made by the congregation of which the applicant was a member. The speeches were followed by an assault on police personnel and damage to public property, the bench said while denying the bail.
State government counsel opposed the bail plea arguing that the case involved the promotion of enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and race.
He also submitted that the applicant along with other co-accused made seditious speeches to excite disaffection towards the government.
In the FIR, it was alleged that all the accused jointed the crowd comprising thousands of men, women and children, brandishing sticks, rods, brickbats and other dangerous weapons.
The accused indulged in inflammatory speeches against the government and the country, saying they would snatch freedom at all costs .
Applicants counsel's pleaded with the court that allegations in the FIR were of general nature and the injury report of the policemen showed that all wounds were of simple nature.
They also argued that all witnesses were police personnel who had given self-serving statements.
The court, however, rejected the bail plea, saying that the accused cannot be enlarged at this juncture.
Azamgarh police had on February 5 this year booked 135 people on charges of sedition for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
