Hold order against Umar, Anirban for a week: HC

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday directed Jawaharlal Nehru University not to implement for a week the order passed by its appellate authority holding some

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday directed Jawaharlal Nehru University not to implement for a week the order passed by its appellate authority holding some students, including Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, guilty of indiscipline in connection with the controversial February 9 event.

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The direction came on pleas by Khalid and Bhattacharya, who were penalised along with 19 others, including JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, challenging the findings of the appellate authority.

Kanhaiya and seven other students separately moved the high court against the findings of the appellate authority. The court has listed Kanhaiya’s plea for hearing on Tuesday.

Khalid and Bhattacharya’s counsel sought stay of the operation of the August 22 order of appellate authority saying it would come into effect on Tuesday.

Khalid’s counsel Akhil Sibal said his client had been rusticated from the university for the monsoon session which would end in December this year. Similarly, Bhattacharya’s counsel said his client has been directed to be out of JNU for five years.

The court fixed the duo’s matter for further hearing on September 8.

During the hearing, both students alleged that the appellate authority of the JNU Vice Chancellor had not dealt with the issues raised by them in their appeal against the recommendations of a high level enquiry committee (HLEC) set up to look into the February 9 event.

JNU’s counsel countered their claims and said that the authority had dealt with all issues raised by the two students while deciding on their appeals.

In May, the high court had put on hold the disciplinary action against these students by the varsity till their appeals were decided by the JNU’s appellate authority. It had also said if the appeals were rejected, then the order of appellate authority would not be given effect to till a period of two weeks.