AMN /
The Supreme Court today directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure adequate security to the JNU Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, who is to be produced in the Patiala House Court later today.
In an interim order on a petition relating to the JNU row, the apex court said, there will be restricted entry of people in the court room during the proceedings relating to the remand of Kanhaiya whose extended police custody of two days is expiring today.
The court said, only five journalists, five lawyers, two students and two faculty members of the university, along with one investigating officer besides two family members of the accused would be allowed in the court. The court also directed the Delhi High Court Registrar General to be present in the Patiala House court complex for verification of people or group of people who have been allowed access to the court room and its compound.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed yesterday by a JNU alumni and activist Jayaprakash, who sought security to Kanhaiya Kumar and the journalists and necessary action against those, who indulged in assaults on them on Monday when the JNU students union leader was presented in the court. Kanhaiya Kumar has been charged with sedition in connection with the February 9 event in the JNU campus during which anti-India slogans were raised.
NHRC issues notice on Patiala House violence
National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has issued notice to the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary, and Delhi Police Commissioner on allegations of beating of journalists and students outside Patiala House Court. It said the incident involves serious violation of human rights and sought reply withing a week.
The complainant had alleged that journalists and several students were assaulted by a Delhi BJP MLA and BJP supporters disguised as lawyers in the court premises where a sedition case against JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was to be heard. NHRC has observed that teachers and students of JNU and journalists had a right to be present in the court and its premises.
The Commission said this right was denied to them by use of criminal force and physical attack unleashed on them. NHRC said such violation of human rights took place in the presence of a large number of policemen who allegedly remained mute spectators. It said the alleged inaction of the police on the occasion amounted to dereliction of duty and negligence.