Aseem Trivedi released from Mumbai jail, wants sedition law repealed

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Sep 12, 2012: Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, booked on the charge of sedition, on Wednesday walked out of Arthur Road Jail, a day after being granted bail by the Bombay High Court. Trivedi also wants the sedition law to be scrapped. "I will cooperate in court cases. Section 124 (A) should be removed from the Indian Constitution," said the Kanpur-based Trivedi.

Trivedi thanked India Against Corruption member Arvind Kejrwial for his support and promised to carry on the fight as long as the government curbed freedom of expression.

The 24-year-old cartoonist remained adamant that he had not committed a crime, and he could not be charged for sedition.

Trivedi had refused to apply for bail until sedition charges were dropped against him.

Hundreds of IAC activists and scores others were present outside the jail to receive Trivedi when he came out of the jail on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking briefly to the media, the cartoonist said the fight for scrapping the "draconian" sedition law would continue despite his release.

The Bombay High Court had on Tuesday granted bail to Trivedi, saying if drawing cartoons was the only allegation

against him, then his custody was not required.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Nitin Jamdar had directed Trivedi to be released on execution of a personal bail bond of Rs 5,000.

The bail order was passed by the bench on a public interest litigation by city-based lawyer Sanskar Marathe, who sought Trivedi’s release contending his arrest was "illegal, bad in law, and unjustified".

The court will hear the PIL on September 17 to decide whether it was right to apply sedition charge against him for his cartoons.

Trivedi was arrested on Saturday for allegedly depicting the national emblem and Parliament in bad light in his cartoons, triggering a public outcry.

Courtesy: CNN IBN