Delhi: 6 arrested at anti-pollution stir sent to police custody to probe ‘pro-Maoist’ slogans

A Delhi court on Wednesday remanded six college students who were arrested after a protest against air pollution to police custody for three days.

Judicial Magistrate Arindam Singh Cheema of the Patiala House Court said that police custody was warranted in view of the seriousness of the allegations, the need to “unearth the larger conspiracy” and the need for effective investigation.

The students were accused of using criminal force against police personnel and shouting pro-Maoist slogans at the protest at India Gate on November 23.

Some of the protestors had allegedly used pepper spray on police personnel while being removed from the site, while some had allegedly displayed posters and shouted slogans hailing Maoist leader Madvi Hidma, who was recently killed in a gunfight with security forces.

Five of the demonstrators were sent to judicial custody for two days on November 24, while one was sent to an observation home under the Juvenile Justice Act while his age was being verified.

On Wednesday, the six persons were produced before the court again as their judicial custody period ended. During the hearing, the investigating officer produced documents showing that the sixth accused person was also an adult.

The prosecution argued that police custody was needed to interrogate the accused students about the alleged pro-Maoist slogans, examine their...

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