Giving him the bail today, the high court listed out certain conditions, including that he will have to cooperate in the investigation in the case and present himself before the investigators as and when required.
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Kanhaiya is directed to furnish bail bond of ₹10,000.
Addressing students at the campus, the 29-year-old said he had many differences with the PM but he agreed with his tweet “Satyameva Jayate”, which he had posted in praise of HRD minister Smriti Irani’s speech in Lok Sabha on the JNU row.
Several videos of the event had surfaced since the controversy broke out, leading to the arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charge, triggering widespread protests.
Mr Kumar also shouted slogans with the rest of the students.
A Delhi court on Tuesday sent Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, also a JNU student to a 14-day judicial custody in Tihar jail. His arrest had also triggered a debate on nationalism.
Kanhaiya was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court. He had been in custody in the capital’s Tihar jail since Feb 17.
Kumar’s last appearance in court last month led to chaotic scenes as lawyers and supporters of the ruling party assaulted students and journalists. At one point, the escort team changed and officials of south district finally ensured safety till he reached the varsity’s campus, sources said.
Being critical about February 9th issue that took place in JNU, the judge said, “The feelings or protest reflected in the slogans need introspection by the student community whose photographs are available on record holding posters, carrying photographs, of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, while ordering Kanhaiya’s release. Their whereabouts should be found out and their role investigated further”, the report stated. A forensic lab had earlier said two out of seven clippings of the incident had been tampered with.
JNUSU Vice-President Shehla Rashid Shora said: “The beating of the traditional JNU daflis with flags of different student organisations being raised marked the happiness and pride of the protesters”.
The probe was ordered by the city government on February 13 following widespread outrage over Kumar’s arrest on charges of sedition.
The student union leader denies he was among those chanting the slogans at the rally that was held to mark the 2013 hanging of Kashmiri separatist Mohammed Afzal Guru over a deadly 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.
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“I have many differences with the PM, but I agree with his tweet Satyameva Jayate because these words are in our Constitution”, he said.
