Printer arrested in Kerala

A printing press owner, Rajeev, was arrested in Thrissur, Kerala on June 12 for printing a picture of the prime minister in a college magazine, under the heading ‘negative faces.’ The police also arrested the recently retired principal of a prominent government polytechnic college in Kunnamkulam, Thrissur, a faculty member of the institute and four students in this regard. All have been released on bail.

14 Jun 2014 | By Dibyajyoti Sarma

The publication was the annual magazine of the institute, titled, Litsokniga, with a print run of 600 copies. The contents of the magazine were finalised in October last year and it was published in February. As is the practice, the copies were distributed among the students at the beginning of the new academic year last week.

Other than the PM, the ‘negative faces’ had pictures of Osama Bin Laden, Ajmal Kasab, Hitler, Veerappan and others.

After student activists protested and disrupted classes, the police seized the copies of the magazine and the computer hard drive from the DTP centre where the publication was processed.  The acting principal of the institute also issued a statement that the magazine has been withdrawn with immediate effect.

The arrested faces charges under IPC sections 153 (giving provocation for intent to cause riot) 500 (defamation) 501 (printing matter known to be defamatory) 120-B (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (a criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

A print association spokesman said, “Printers have to be vigilant and study sections like 153 and 501.’