A Kerala journo is behind bars in BJP-ruled Maharashtra
This is what is called political-terrorism and a new kind of game of billiard.
You hit one ball; but the ball gets into the net.
Pahalgam tragedy and Op. Sindoor happened around Kashmir ... there was a protest and subsequent developments have led a Kerala journo behind bars in Maharashtra.
Kerala journalist Rejaz Sydeek’s police custody extended by two days by Nagpur court in Maharashtra !
The Democratic Students Association (DSA), with which Rejaz is affiliated, condemned the action and called it a politically motivated crackdown on dissent.
The search, conducted jointly by Maharashtra Police and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), led to the seizure of multiple electronic devices including mobile phones, hard disks, memory cards, and pen drives.
The Nagpur court on May 13 (Tuesday) extended the police custody of Kerala journalist Rejaz M Sydeek till May 15 as police probe alleged anti-national posts and digital content linked to banned organisations.
The FIR includes charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 149, 192, 353(1)(b), 353(2), and 353(3), as well as Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000.
The Lakadganj police station, where the FIR was registered on May 7, has also accused Rejaz of being a member of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation.
A local magistrate court initially remanded him to police custody until May 13.
In 10 days time between May 9th and April 29th, Rejaz actually got booked under two FIRs.
On April 29, a case was registered against him and a few other journalists for participating in a pro-Kashmir protest in Kochi. The protest was organised to highlight the demolition of houses of those allegedly involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Rejaz, who studied social work at Kerala University, has been writing for the Kerala-based news platform Maktoob and Counter Currents. His articles have primarily focused on police excesses and human rights violations in prisons, among other issues.
In the past 10 days, this is the second FIR filed against Rejaz. On April 29, a case was registered against him and a few other journalists for participating in a pro-Kashmir protest in Kochi. The protest was organised to highlight the demolition of houses of those allegedly involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
He is also accused of wearing a T-shirt featuring seditious slogans and figures on a watchlist of Maoist sympathisers compiled by the Maharashtra State Intelligence Bureau.
The extension comes as Maharashtra Police continues its investigation into alleged anti-national activities linked to Sydeek’s social media posts and digital materials.
Rejaz, 26, was arrested on 8 May by Nagpur’s Lakadganj Police while travelling from Delhi to Kerala. The arrest followed a series of social media posts critical of recent military operations, including Operation Sindoor in Kashmir and Operation Kagaar in Chhattisgarh.
Authorities claim the posts contained content glorifying banned groups and inciting anti-Army sentiments. The custody extension was granted by Magistrate Nilesh B Patil after police submitted that further interrogation was needed based on digital evidence seized from Rejaz’s residence in Kerala. Police told the court that preliminary analysis of the seized data revealed banned digital literature and alleged links to a proscribed organisation.
They further cited the need for Rejaz’s physical presence during technical analysis and witness confrontations. The prosecution also highlighted a photo allegedly found on his phone showing him posing with two guns—though the authenticity of the weapons remains under investigation.
Rejaz’s counsel, Advocate Nihalsing Rathod, opposed the extension, arguing that the accused had not been present during the seizure and that further custodial interrogation was unnecessary.
The court, however, ruled in favour of the prosecution, stating that the nature of the alleged offences warranted extended custody.
Rejaz refused to sign the remand application but reported no ill-treatment in custody. The court also acknowledged a plea by Rejaz seeking English translations of documents presented to him during questioning.
In its remand note, the police claimed Rejaz had attended a press conference in Delhi on World Press Freedom Day organised by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), which authorities allege to be a front for banned Maoist outfits.
He is also accused of wearing a T-shirt featuring seditious slogans and figures on a watchlist of Maoist sympathisers compiled by the Maharashtra State Intelligence Bureau.
They demanded his immediate release, alleging that the arrest was linked to his criticism of military policies vis-a-vis call givem for an “Israel Model Solution” in Kashmir following recent attacks.
Rejaz, who studied social work at Kerala University, has been writing for the Kerala-based news platform Maktoob and Counter Currents.
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