5 Divisive Sedition Cases on High Profile Indians

Bangalore: The arrest of political cartoonist Aseem Trivedi with the charge of sedition for his offensive cartoons has once again leads focus on the law under the IPC. Sedition as defined under IPC Section 124 A says, "Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine".

Several Indians have been charged under the act of sedition in the past. Well-known freedom fighters were also charged in the act of sedition law including Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Interestingly India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, described sedition as the “highly objectionable and obnoxious” section.

Here we have listed a few cases where the high profiled politicians and writers were charges with sedition law recently.

Aseem Trivedi

Aseem Trivedi, a political cartoonist was charged with sedition for his offensive cartoons. He was sent to judicial custody for two weeks by a Mumbai court on charges of sedition over a series of political cartoons against corruption, but was released on bail two days after his arrest.

Aseem was arrested in Mumbai under IPC (Indian Penal Code) Section 124 of sedition, Section 66A of Information Technology Act and Section 2 of Prevention of Insults to Nation Honor Act. He has been accused of putting up banners during a rally of anti-corruption supporting Anna Hazare in Mumbai on December 2011. The banner contains cartoons which were mocking the Constitution of India.

Trivedi was arrested on the basis of complaint filed by Amit Katarnayea, member of Republic Party of India.