DCP defends police action as court sends 6 accused to 3-day custody in pro-Naxal sloganeering case

“A photo doesn’t define the whole scenario,” argued Delhi Police DCP Devesh Mahla in court on Monday, defending the police action against protesters accused of raising pro-Naxal slogans, as six individuals were remanded to three days’ police custody in the India Gate protest case.

The DCP made the statement in reference to a viral photograph showing a protester being pinned down. He explained that the individual, Akshay ER, had allegedly used chilli spray on police personnel and therefore needed to be restrained.

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The six accused — Ahan Arun Upadhyay, Akshay ER, Vishnu Tiwari, Prakash Raj Gupta, Sameer Faiyaz, and Akash — were remanded to police custody until November 29.

The Delhi Police had sought seven days’ custodial remand, arguing that they needed to confront the accused with one another to uncover the entire conspiracy, trace funding sources, and identify the mastermind behind the protest.

The DCP further informed the court that the protesters were allegedly raising slogans in support of groups designated as terrorist or Naxalite organizations on the Ministry of Home Affairs website.

“If an 18-year-old is raising slogans, he should be aware of what he is doing,” he contended, adding that social media checks revealed that the same group had previously performed for the banned ‘Radical Student Union’.

Police also told the court that they required time for the FSL analysis of seized mobile phones and noted that this was not the group’s first such incident, as they had earlier been booked for blocking Man Singh Road on November 9.