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NEWS ALERTS | More Indians arrested under sedition despite low level of conviction
More Indians arrested under sedition despite low level of conviction

More Indians arrested under sedition despite low level of conviction

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published Published on Sep 27, 2016   modified Modified on May 11, 2022

Although the number of cases of sedition has come down between 2014 and 2015, more arrests were made in 2015 vis-à-vis 2014, according to a new report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The NCRB report entitled Crime in India 2015 Statistics reveals that the total number of sedition related cases that occurred in the country was 30 in 2015. The same document shows that the total number of persons arrested for such cases was 73 (all males and no females).

During 2014 the total number of sedition related cases that took place was 47, and the total number of persons arrested for such cases was 58 (55 males and 3 females), as per the 2014 edition of the NCRB report.  

The total number of persons convicted on sedition charges during 2015 was zero, whereas the same during 2014 was 1.

During 2015, the most number of sedition related cases took place in Bihar (9), followed by West Bengal (4), Haryana (3), Karnataka (3) and Kerala (3). In the year 2014, the most number of sedition related cases were reported from Jharkhand (18), followed by Bihar (16), Kerala (5), West Bengal (2) and Odisha (2).

During 2015, the most number of arrests under sedition took place in Bihar (40), followed by Punjab (10), Rajasthan (9) and Karnataka (4). In the year 2014, the most number of arrests under sedition were reported from Bihar (28), followed by Jharkhand (18), Kerala (4) and Odisha (4).  

Out of 147 cases of offences against the State in 2015, nearly 20.4 percent were related to sedition. However, out of 176 cases of offences against the State in 2014, nearly 26.7 percent were related to sedition.  

Similarly, out of 238 number of persons arrested under offences against the State in 2015, nearly 30.7 percent were arrested on sedition charges. However, out of 224 number of persons arrested under offences against the State in 2014, nearly 25.9 percent were arrested on sedition charges.  

It needs to be mentioned here that the NCRB has been providing data and statistics related to sedition since the year 2014 i.e. after the NDA government got elected at the Centre in 2014.

On comparing the Crime in India 2015 Statistics with the previous edition, the following points could also be observed:

• Out of 73 persons arrested on sedition charges (under Section 124A of Indian Penal Code) during 2015, 29 persons were found to be in the age-group 18-30 years, 32 persons in the age-group 30-45 years, 11 persons in the age-group 45-60 years, and only one person belonged to the age-group 60 years and above.  

• Out of 58 persons arrested on sedition charges (under Section 124A of IPC) during 2014, 25 persons were found to be in the age-group 18-30 years, 31 persons in the age-group 30-45 years, and only two persons belonged to the age-group 45-60 years.  

• Out of 73 persons arrested on sedition charges during 2015, 3 persons were released or freed by police or magistrate before trial for want of evidence or any other reason, and 13 persons were charge sheeted during the year,

• Out of 58 persons arrested on sedition charges during 2014, 16 persons were charge-sheeted during the year, and no one was released or freed by police or magistrate before trial for want of evidence or any other reason.

• The total number of persons under trial on sedition charges during 2015 was 38 (35 males and 3 females), whereas the same during 2014 was 29 (26 males and 3 females).   

• The total number of persons in whose cases trials (related to sedition charges) were completed during the year 2014 was 4, whereas the same during 2015 was 11.

• The total number of persons convicted on sedition charges during 2015 was zero, whereas the same during 2014 was 1.

• The total number of persons acquitted on sedition charges during 2015 was 11, whereas the same during 2014 was 3.

What is to be construed as a seditious activity?

It needs to be noted that as per the NCRB's Crime in India 2014 Statistics, sedition refers generally to the offence related to conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or government. Rebellion is the attempted overthrow of a government; if it succeeds it is a coup, or revolution, says the NCRB document. In addition to these crimes treated as offences against the State, the NCRB also included offences promoting enmity between different groups as 'Offences against the State' as it disturbs tranquillity in the society and is considered to be prejudicial to national integration.   

However, in recent times there were allegations by human rights activists that the activity of a person for which s/he was arrested (on sedition charges) did not lead to any incitement of violence or had the tendency or the intention to create public disorder. Sometimes persons arrested on sedition charges were found to be just critical about government policies, allege civil society activists.    

References

Crime in India 2015 Statistics, National Crime Records Bureau, www.ncrb.gov.in

Crime in India 2014 Statistics, National Crime Records Bureau, www.ncrb.gov.in

Crime in India 2014 Compendium, NCRB, please click here to access
 
India must overhaul legal system, culture of intolerance has taken root: Report -Anirudh Bhattacharyya, Hindustan Times, 20 September, 2016, please click here to access 

8,856 ‘enemies of state’: An entire village in Tamil Nadu lives under shadow of sedition -Arun Janardhanan, The Indian Express, 12 September, 2016, please click here to access 

Reminder on sedition limit -R Balaji, The Telegraph, 6 September, 2016, please click here to access
 
Criticism of Government Does Not Constitute Sedition, Says Supreme Court -J Venkatesan, thewire.in, 5 September, 2016, please click here to access 

30 sedition cases registered in 2015; 17 less than in 2014 -Neeraj Chauhan, The Times of India, 31 August, 2016, please click here to access 

NCRB figures show 12% increase in offences against the state in 2015 -Prerna Kapoor, Livemint.com, 30 August, 2016, please click here to access
 
NCRB added sedition column to its chart, after NDA came to power -Chethan Kumar, The Times of India, 16 March, 2016, please click here to access
 
Who needs the sedition law? The police more than the judiciary -Sayantan Ghosh, Newslaundry.com, 29 February, 2016, please click here to access 

Which Indian state files the most sedition cases? -Chaitanya Mallapur, IndiaSpend.com, 19 February, 2016, please click here to access 

Only 9% of ‘Offences against the State’ are Sedition related in 2014 -Rakesh Dubbudu, Factly.in, 17 February, 2016, please click here to access 
 
 
Image Courtesy: Inclusive Media for Change/ Shambhu Ghatak


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