The Supreme Court on Friday asked Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar to approach the Delhi high court with his bail plea, while noting that the Patiala House court environment was not conducive. On Thursday the Supreme Court said it was “concerned about the law and order situation arising out of the violence” at the Patiala House court, where violence also broke out an earlier hearing for Kumar on Monday.
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The Supreme Court also transferred the bail plea of jailed JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar to Delhi High Court.
“…in light of the highly violent and surcharged atmosphere at the patiala house courts, posing a grave threat to the life of the petitioner, his counsels and possible sureties”.
It came as an estimated 5,000 people, chanting “release Kanhaiya Kumar” and “down with state terrorism”, marched through the centre of New Delhi in one of the biggest student protests India has seen in years.
Delhi Police arrested Kanhaiya Kumar on February 12 for allegedly raising anti-India slogans at an event in the JNU campus. Students of JNU have been maintaining that Kumar never raised such objectionable slogans. Veteran lawyer and former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and advocate Raju Ramachandran will appear for him in the case. “This Petition therefore raises issues regarding the violation of rights under Article 21”.
“We have made a special request to the committee to submit its report and complete its proceedings within three weeks from today and we hope that soon after receiving the report of inquiry committee, we will take a strong action against the guilty”, he said.
The police and government say the student’s jailing is right because his behavior was anti-India.
He was yesterday attacked in the court premises before he was remanded in judicial custody by a Metropolitan court till March 2.
Six Left parties on Friday sought the release of JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and punishment to those who they said fabricated “evidence” leading to his arrest for sedition.
Among the crowd, students held placards, some of which carried messages and artwork depicting the “spirit of JNU” like – #DU With JNU, “Sabse Khatarnak Hota Hai Sapno Ka Mar Jana”, Life of a Mind: Shrinks with Consensus, Expands with Dissent”, “From HCU to JNU.
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The decree follows angry demonstrations across university campuses this week after a student was arrested for sedition.
