"Interrogation of Amulya and Ardra separately in the sedition cases filed against them revealed they both are not only friends, but also stayed together as PG (paying guests) in a city suburb," a police official told IANS here.

 

Student activist Amulya (19) was arrested and jailed on February 21 for shouting 'Pakistan zindabad' slogan at an anti-CAA rally in the city on February 20, while Adra, 24, was arrested and jailed on February 22 for holding a placard with "Free Kashmir, Free Dalits and Free Muslims" at Town Hall in the city centre on February 21.

 

"Background checks, browsing their social media accounts on Facebook and Whatsapp, mobile call records and information from their colleges have shown their involvement in the anti-CAA movement and participation in protest rallies in the city over the last two months," the official said.

 

Though Amulya has been in 14-day judicial custody since February 21, a local court on Tuesday sent her to a 10-day police custody for interrogation by the city police, which formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe into her political activities, including her act of shouting pro-Pakistan slogan.

 

"The arrest of her friend Amulya provoked Ardra to hold the placard with anti-national slogans so that she too could be with her in the jail as cellmates, as evident from events on February 21-22," the official said on anonymity.

 

While Amulya is in the police custody at an unknown place in the city for interrogation, Ardra is in a separate cell in the central jail on the city's southern outskirts, as she was also remanded to 14-day judicial custody.

 

"Both the accused have been trying to engage lawyers to seek bail when their custody ends next week," the official added.