Nagpur court extends Kerala journalist’s police custody

Image utilized for practice | Photo Credit: The Hindu

A Nagpur tribunal connected Tuesday (May 3, 2025) extended the constabulary custody of Kerala-based autarkic writer Rejaz M. Sheeba Sydeek for 2 days aft the Nagpur constabulary said that seizures made from the accused necessitated his custodial probe.

“The alleged offence is superior successful nature. Therefore, for the intent of interrogation regarding the seized physics devices, and for due probe of the crime, capable accidental needs to beryllium fixed to the investigating officer. Hence, I americium inclined to widen constabulary custody remand of the accused,” Nilesh Patil, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, said connected Tuesday.

Mr. Sydeek’s constabulary custody has been extended till May 15. Meanwhile, helium has moved an exertion seeking that the transcripts of the documents successful the remand papers beryllium provided to him successful English.

“The constabulary said that aft searches and seizures astatine his location town, they had recovered mobile phone, pen drives. They besides said that they needed to probe him astir the caller seizures,” a lawyer representing Mr. Sydeek told The Hindu.

The defence counsel argued that Mr. Sydeek was an autarkic journalist, that the seizures had not been made successful his presence, and that his custodial enquiry was not required.

But the police, portion seeking an hold of the custody, submitted that mobile information had been extracted “from the mobile of the accused, which contained banned integer books”. They besides said that portion the constabulary recorded the statements of witnesses, 1 squad had gone to Kerala and “seized immoderate mobile phones, books, representation cards, SIM card, pen drive, adapter, and 1 hard disk from the location of the accused”. They said that the carnal beingness of the accused was indispensable to interrogate him with respect to the seized items.

The tribunal accepted the plea and extended Mr. Sydeek’s constabulary custody by 2 days.

Published - May 13, 2025 10:03 p.m. IST