JOIN USCops watched as I was assaulted: Kanhaiya
JNU Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar has told a Supreme Court-appointed investigation committee that he was beaten up, pushed to the ground and injured by men in lawyers’ robes in the presence of police during his production before the Patiala House Court on February 17.
“When the police brought me inside the court’s gate, a mob of men in lawyers’ robes attacked me. It appeared as if they were ready to attack and they were also calling others. I was assaulted. The police personnel escorting me tried to save me but they were also beaten up,” he said while narrating the sequence of events to the lawyers’ panel in a video aired by TV channels on Saturday.
The committee of six advocates — Kapil Sibal, Rajeev Dhavan, Dushyant Dave, A D N Rao, Ajit Kumar Sinha and Haren Raval — had visited the Patiala House Court premises on February 17 after the apex court was informed that Kanhaiya was beaten up during his production before the magistrate. Senior advocate Sinha, however, has submitted another report. The video, shot by advocate Raval on his mobile, was also furnished in the court.
Kanhaiya, whose eyes welled up, said when he was attacked, the police present on the court premises did not do anything.
“I told my teacher that this man was assaulting me and then the police asked that person about his identity. He in turn questioned the policeman and asked him to show his ID card. That person left the place in front of the police and the police did nothing. He could have been apprehended there itself. I had told the police that this man had assaulted me,” he said.
In the video, Sibal and Dave, along with Kanhaiya’s lawyers, are seen questioning a senior police officer about the incident and telling him that the police are under order of the Supreme Court to ensure safety and security of the accused student. Kanhaiya is also seen as saying that he had told the court that he had full faith in the Constitution.
The issue of attack on Kanhaiya, arrested in a sedition case on charges of raising anti-India slogans, inside the JNU campus on February 9, has been pending before the apex court. The court, which had on Friday issued notice to three lawyers accused of assault, has put the matter for further hearing on March 4.
Accused question authenticity
Advocate M L Sharma, who opposed filing of contempt petition against lawyers before the apex court, said he would urge the court to call for medical reports of Kanhaiya Kumar. “The video did not show any sign of assault or beating on Kanhaiya,” he argued.
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