The Kottarakara Judicial Magistrate Court on Tuesday granted bail to 12 Students Federation of India (SFI) activists who were arrested and remanded in judicial custody following a black flag demonstration against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.
On January 27, a group of students belonging to the SFI waved black flags at Nilamel while Mr. Khan was on his way to attend a programme. Irked by the protestors, the Governor stepped out of his vehicle and staged a sit-in protest on the road for nearly two hours demanding the arrest of SFI workers. He departed only after seeing the FIR copies.
The defence counsel argued that the students did not attack the Governor or his vehicle and it was the Governor who got off the vehicle. The SFI workers who were granted bail are N. Asif, Fayaz Muhammed, Aravind, Vishnu, Abhijith, Bukhari, Musafir Muhammed, Absana, Muhammed Ubais, Arya, Binil and Abhinand. The students said they were framed and they were only exercising their right to protest. They added that such fabricated cases will not stop them from organising or participating protests in future.
