Ransack case: HCU students, faculty members walk out of jail

Twenty-five students and two faculty members of Hyderabad Central University (HCU), who were granted bail in connection with the March 22 violence on the campus during which the Vice Chancellor’s official residence was ransacked, were released from the Cherlapally Central Prison in Hyderabad.

“Bail order copies were submitted to prison authorities...all of them have been released,” Cherlapally Prison Superintendent K Venkateshwar Reddy told PTI.

The XXV Metropolitan Magistrate court here had yesterday enlarged the students and the two faculty members on bail on submission of sureties of Rs 5,000 each. The court also directed them to appear before Station House Officer Gachibowli once in a week (every Saturday).

The prosecution did not oppose the bail applications of the 27 accused and had informed the court that the situation (law and order) is under control on HCU campus.

The defence counsel urged the court to grant bail contending that the allegations, which were levelled against the accused are absolutely ‘vague’ and there is no material to keep them in detention.

A group of students, who were opposing Prof Appa Rao Podile’s return as the VC after a two-month leave following the row over research scholar Rohith Vemula’s suicide in a university hostel room, had allegedly vandalised his residence and pelted police with stones on March 22.

Later, police resorted to lathicharge and arrested 25 of them, beside two faculty members. All of them were lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison.

Cases were booked on charges of damage to public property, trespass, preventing government officials from performing their duties, and other relevant sections of IPC in connection with the violence.