Hearing of GN Azad, Saifuddin Soz's sedition case postponed

The hearing of a criminal complaint seeking sedition case against senior Congress leaders Saifuddin Soz and Ghulam Nabi Azad has been adjourned till July 2.

The hearing of the complaint, filed in a Delhi court for making 'seditious statements against Indian Army', has been transferred to the Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.

The complaint was filed by advocate Shashi Bhushan at Patiala House Court.

The plea filed by Bhushan sought action against Azad for offences under Sections 124 (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 505 (1) (spreading rumour about army/navy/air force official which is likely to cause mutiny) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The complaint mentioned that the alleged remarks were painting the Army as killers of innocents which was "nothing less than waging war against the country".

According to the complaint, in a TV interview on June 22, Azad had allegedly said that the "Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir was killing more civilians than terrorists during military operations in the state."

Meanwhile, Saifuddin Soz had last week said that 'Azadi' is not possible in Kashmir and that the only way forward is for all stakeholders to sit together and hold a vigorous dialogue to solve the problem.

The complaint has also accused the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for spreading hatred and trying to malign the country's image.