In a report that will have adverse impact on India’s image overseas, the country’s National Human Rights Commission said on Friday that Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar was subjected to psychological pressure. “It was a life-threatening situation”, one of Kumar’s lawyers, Vrinda Grover, said, adding it was not safe for the defence team to go anywhere except the top court to seek bail.
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The Supreme Court stated that “You are leading a risky proposition”. Further, it observed, “Remember, this is not the only case of this type”.
On Wednesday, a lower court sent Kanhaiya Kumar, who is from the CPI-affiliated AISF, to judicial custody till March 2 amid violence blamed on a section of lawyers.
The Supreme Court permitted the counsel for Kanhaiya to amend his petition, which is to be filed shortly in the Delhi High Court.
However, it transferred Kanhaiya Kumar’s bail plea to the Delhi high court, saying that the atmosphere in the trial court was “not proper”.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court asked his advocate to move the high court for bail.
Mr Kumar’s bail plea will next be heard in the city’s High Court on Monday, according to The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Friday issued fresh notices to three lawyers who despite being summoned for two consecutive days, did not turn up before the investigators in connection with the attack on journalists, students and teachers of JNU in Patiala House court on February 15.
Lawyer RP Luthra objected to the RSS being clubbed with extremists and also alleged that the entire case was designed by Kumar and his lawyers to get the attention of the apex court.
The controversial case of Kanhaiya has also been serving as a battleground for the political parties.
Supreme Court allowed to withdraw a Petition filed by Advocate Subhash Chandran, who was allegedly assaulted by Lawyers and goons during Patiala House Court scuffle, with the liberty to file after curing the defects.
In an interview to HT on Thursday, Bassi had insisted that Kumar was not assaulted in the Patiala House courts and that the rampaging lawyers did not warrant detention.
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When Kanhaiya’s counsel cited the the law and security situation, the bench said, “We do agree with you that it is an exceptionally extraordinary circumstance”.
