Fresh petition against Bassi in JNU row

NEW DELHI: A fresh petition has been filed seeking contempt action against former Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi and other officers for their alleged failure

NEW DELHI: A fresh petition has been filed seeking contempt action against former Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi and other officers for their alleged failure in protecting JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar from being assaulted in the Patiala House courts.

HT Image

The application has been filed by JNU alumnus ND Jaiprakash who alleged the he himself was assaulted along with Kanhaiya by persons in black coats inside the court complex.

Jaiprakash referred to the Delhi High Court registrar’s report on the incident.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for Jaiprakash, told a bench of Justices J Chelameswar and AM Sapre that the report confirmed the presence of unauthorised persons when Kanhaiya was produced. This, she said, was against the SC order directing the police to protect him. Besides Bassi, it has also sought contempt action against other police officers, including JCP M K Meena and DCP Jatin Narwal, for allegedly failing to ensure safety of Kanhaiya. He was arrested in a sedition case on February 12 after an event held on the university campus against the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. He allegedly shouted anti-India slogans during the rally. Mobs of lawyers kicked and punched Kanhaiya Kumar when he was brought to court to face sedition charges prompting the Supreme Court to ask officials to ensure the JNU student leader’s safety. The Supreme Court asked authorities to evacuate Delhi’s Patiala House court and rushed six top advocates to assess the situation, after two groups of lawyers violently clashed. It also asked for reports on the violence from the Delhi high court registrar general and the city police.

As Kumar stepped out of a police van, lawyers lunged at him, landing kicks and punches, while officers quickly dragged him away. Although some 400 policemen were deployed at the court gates, Kumar was slapped and abused by the lawyers shouting “Bharat Mata ki Jai,” leaving him seriously injur ed.