Picked up from campus by plainclothesmen, FIR filed day before

JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar of All India Students Federation was picked up from the campus by two policemen in plainclothes on Friday afternoon. The arrest came after police were instructed by Union Home Ministry to take strong action against the event’s organisers.

It is alleged that the JNUSU president was seen in videos of people raising slogans.The arrest comes a day after a case for sedition and criminal conspiracy was registered over the event organised on the JNU campus on Tuesday. There had reportedly been slogan-shouting against the central government over his hanging.

On Thursday, a case under sections 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) was registered against unknown persons with Vasant Kunj North police station.

It was lodged after Bharatiya Janata Party MP from east Delhi Maheish Girri gave a written complaint against “anti-constitutional and anti-national elements” to Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi.

Police nabbed Kanhaiya Kumar after analysing video footage of the event collected from students as well as the media. Some students have also been questioned. Police are also investigating the alleged use of arms during the protest.

Students debarredThe varsity’s inquiry committee constituted to investigate Tuesday’s matter has debarred eight students from academic activities “to enable a fair inquiry.” They will, however, be allowed to stay in their hostels so thate they can represent their stand during the inquiry.

“While the JNU community upholds the right to free debate on campus, the university strongly condemns its usage as a platform for activities that violate the Constitution and the laws of the land,” JNU spokesperson Poonam S Kudaisya said.

Kudaisya added that the incidents seem to be a work of ‘fringe sections’ misusing the freedom provided.

“While that problem would be appropriately addressed in this case, the university would also take steps to protect the academic atmosphere and the environment for vibrant discussion that JNU has always provided and stands for,” she added.

The university has also appealed to all sections of the community, including representatives of the students, teachers and karmacharis, to go beyond the incident and return the campus to normalcy.

The controversial event was held despite the JNU administration cancelling permission after a complaint by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad members. The ABVP had termed the event as anti-national.