Noida: Sedition charges against three for ‘raising pro-Pakistan slogans’ during Eid-e-Milad procession

Sedition charges have been invoked against three persons arrested in Noida for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans during an Eid Milad un Nabi (PBUH) procession, news reports quoting police officials said on Friday.

The accused were arrested on the basis of social media videos that purportedly showed them raising the slogans during the October 20 procession, the officials said as per a report by News18.

The sedition charge was added against Mohammad Zafar, Samir Ali and Ali Raza after a demonstration by scores of right-wing activists outside the local Sector 20 police station on Thursday who demanded that the law be invoked in the case.

“The accused were initially booked under Indian Penal Code section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony). IPC Section 124A (sedition) was added on Thursday,” a senior police official said according to the report.

“All three accused are currently in judicial custody,” the officer said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also said on Thursday that those raising pro-Pakistan slogans in the state would be booked under the stringent sedition law.

Three Kashmiri students in an Agra college were also booked for sedition on Thursday by the UP police. The trio had allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans and made social media posts after Pakistan defeated India in a T20 cricket match on Sunday.