Almost After 3 Yrs, Delhi Police File Chargesheet In JNU Sedition Row: Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid Named In It

Almost after three years, the Delhi police have filed a 1,200-page chargesheet against ten people, in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) sedition row. On January 14, Monday, the police named former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, student activists Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya along with seven others in the Chargesheet for allegedly raising “anti-national slogans” during an event that took place in JNU campus on February 9, 2016, reports The Indian Express.

The charge sheet will be considered in the Patiala House Court on January 15, Tuesday. The others who have been named in the Chargesheet are Kashmiri residents – Aquib Hussain, Mujeeb Hussain, Muneeb Hussain, Umar Gul, Rayees Rasool, Basharat Ali and Khalid Bashir Bhat.

The accused have been charged under Indian Penal Code(IPC) Section 124 A(sedition), 323(voluntarily causing hurt), 465(forgery), 471(using as genuine, forged document), 143 (punishment for unlawful assembly), 149(unlawful assembly with common object), 147(rioting) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

The Delhi police have submitted the Chargesheet today and said they have evidence to proceed against the ten named in the chargesheet.

The Delhi police reaches Patiala House court to submit charge sheet in JNU sedition case. @THNewDelhi @the_hindu pic.twitter.com/aEVtGuCrpY

— Saurabh Trivedi (@saurabh3vedi) January 14, 2019

Just now: Delhi Police has come with a chargesheet in a trunk in JNU sedition case. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/ImHOLtL3PJ

— Abhishek Angad (@abhishekangad) January 14, 2019

Chargesheet filed under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 124A 323, 465, 471,143, 149, 147, 120B, in 2016 JNU sedition case. https://t.co/GYFT5G9sni

— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2019

The timing of the Chargesheet

While talking to the media, Kanhaiya Kumar, raised questions on the timing of the Chargesheet. He claims that the chargesheet has been filed just before the Lok Sabha elections, indicating that it is politically motivated.

“If the news is true that a charge sheet has been filed, I would like to thank police and Modi ji. The filing of chargesheet after three years, ahead of elections clearly shows it to be politically motivated. I trust the judiciary of my country,” said Kumar while talking to the ANI.

Kanhaiya Kumar, former JNU president: If the news is true that a chargesheet has been filed, I would like to thank police and Modi Ji. The filing of chargesheet after 3 years, ahead of elections clearly shows it to be politically motivated. I trust the judiciary of my country. pic.twitter.com/eGVy40SYDT

— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2019

A little background

In 2016, after a massive uproar over the JNU issue, the Delhi police had arrested Kumar, Khalid and Bhattacharya for allegedly raising “anti-national” slogans during the JNU event. Later, all three were released on bail. The case was first registered at Vasant Kunj (north) police station on February 11, 2016, under IPC Section 124-A (sedition), it was later transferred to the Delhi Police special cell. The event titled “The Country Without a Post Office”, had been organised to “stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Kashmiri people for their democratic right to self-determination” and, among other things, to protest the ‘judicial killing’ of Afzal Guru, who was hanged in 2013 after being convicted in the attack on Parliament in 2001. The event was organised on the Afzal’s third death anniversary.

The event was opposed by right-wing student party ABVP.

Also Read: Two And A Half Years On, Delhi Police Yet To File A Charge Sheet In JNU Sedition Case