Arrested FTII students get bail

The students arrested during the midnight police raid on Tuesday being taken away.

Twelve other students named by the FTII director Prashant Pathrabe in his FIR with the Deccan Police Station were also granted anticipatory bail.

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Over 50 students, of which 17 were named in the FIR, were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. These included one non-bailable offence which reportedly led to arrest of the students.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Deccan police produced the arrested students in the court seeking their custody for interrogation. They argued that they needed their custody to seek information to make further arrests, help identify other students who may have been involved in the illegal act and to find out if there was anyone else outside the campus helping them.

FTII director Prashant Pathrabe arrives for the press conference on Wednesday.

Defence laywers Shrikant Shivade and Asim Sarode argued that the allegations levelled against the five arrested students and others were aimed at breaking their agitation against unjust appointment on the FTII society. They also argued that there was no need for custodial interrogation as the students had already provided the police with a video footage of the entire incident that took place on Monday. The defence also showed the judge videos to prove that the students did not indulge in any violence.

Watch Video: FTII Director Prashant Pathrabe Had Denied Being Harassed By Students On Monday

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“Although the complainant has claimed the students damaged public property, we have videos showing the policemen themselves pushed the doors and other furniture, causing the damage. Also, as the complainant himself has said that the alleged offences were committed in police presence, why did police not then file a complaint against students on the same day on behalf of the state? It looks like a case of afterthought to arrest the student, defame them and weaken their struggle,” Shivade argued.

Rejecting police’s request for remand, the judge Joshi said the prosecution had not provided sufficient grounds for the same and sent the students to 14-day judicial custody, but later accepted the bail application.

Students ask PM to step in

FTII students have now called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the issue and resolve it by taking active interest. They said he should travel to Pune and visit the FTII campus to understand their issues which are genuine and important. “The prime minister is going around the world. He should come here and address our concerns. This is not only about FTII. It’s happening in many other institutions and needs urgent resolution,” said Harishankar Nachimuthu, president of the students’ body.