Verma will take charge at a time when the Delhi Police is facing severe criticism for handling the JNU row, arising out of the arrest of the university’s students union president Kanhaiya Kumar for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at an event commemorating death of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. “We therefore make it clear that the responsibility is exclusively is that of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to ensure the safety of the accused”, it said and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow.
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The apex court was acting acted on a petition that alleged that the police were a “mute spectator to the brazen display of brute force” on February 15.
There were chaotic scenes outside the court, with television footage showing lawyers pushing and shoving, some of them carrying Indian flags, and reports of stones being thrown at journalists.
He was escorted to the court by a posse of police personnel.
“Meanwhile, the court has said that under these circumstances, the present bail hearing of Kanhaiya Kumar should be adjourned because it would not be possible for the hearing to proceed in this kind of atmosphere or in this kind of situation”.
“We never called the police, we just cooperated with them”. This man also sat in the court room later, he added.
Kanhaiya was brought to the court as his police custody ends today.
The team of lawyers said when they asked DCP Jatin Narwal, he had no answer as to how that person had entered the court room and why he did not stop him or got him arrested when even asked by the accused.
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The Supreme Court had, earlier in the day, restricted the number of people inside the courtroom, allowing only five reporters and two supporters of the arrested students to attend the hearing.
