NEW DELHI // India police have arrested a political cartoonist on sedition charges after his drawings criticising rampant corruption irked political leaders.
A magistrate in Mumbai yesterday ordered Aseem Trivedi to be held for a week for questioning about a complaint that the cartoonist had mocked the Indian constitution in his drawings.
Mr Trivedi's cartoons lampooning widespread corruption among Indian politicians were displayed at a New Delhi protest last year by the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.
Students, opposition politicians and free speech advocates protested Monday that Mr Trivedi's arrest showed politicians' growing intolerance for criticism.
A university professor was arrested recently in the state of West Bengal for e-mailing a spoof caricaturing the chief minister.