Amulya Leona, Student Who Shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' During Anti-CAA Stir Gets Default Bail

BENGALURU: Student Amulya Leona, arrested on sedition charges after she raised pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-CAA event here in February, has been granted default bail by a court here on grounds that the police did not file charge sheet within the stipulated period.

The development came on Wednesday shortly after the city civil and sessions court dismissed her plea for regular bail, holding that the investigation has not been completed.

The fifth Additional City Civil Metropolitan Magistrate granted the default bail. Earlier, rejecting her regular bail plea, the 60th additional city civil and sessions judge Vidyadhar Shirahatti said: "If the petitioner is released on bail, she may abscond or she may be involved in a similar offence, which affects the peace at large."

A student activist, the 19-year-old Amulya had shouted "Pakistan zindabad" during the protest meeting against Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens organised by Hindu Muslim Sikh Isaai Federation at the Freedom Park here on February 20. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was present at the event and had tried to stop her from raising the slogan. Subsequently, she also went on to say 'Hindustan Zindabad', but before she could clear her statement, the mike was snatched away from her.

"Because the police failed to file a charge sheet within the stipulated 90 days, we moved the application for default bail, which the court granted on Wednesday itself," advocate R Prasanna, defending Amulya Leona, said.

According to him, she will be released in a day or two after completion of the bail formalities. He said the charge sheet was filed on June 3. PTI