Pleas to cancel Kanhaiya’s interim bail junked

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed two petitions seeking cancellation of the interim bail granted to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students’ union leader Kanhaiya Kumar in a sedition case.

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Two Delhi residents, Prashant Kumar Umrao and Vineet Jindal, had filed pleas seeking cancellation of Kanhaiya’s bail on the grounds that his speech after his release from jail was ‘anti-national’.

“Alleging the speeches as anti-national is the personal perception of the petitioners and nothing has been brought forth to establish that such speeches were actually made or that the same were declared anti-national by any court of law,” Justice PS Teji remarked.

The court said that “no hindrance or obstruction” has been brought by any of the parties including Kanhaiya during the investigation of the case.

Justice Teji said, “The CrPC (The Code of Criminal Procedure) does not envisage any right upon any stranger to approach the court for cancellation of bail. This right has been conferred only on the Investigating Officer or under exceptional circumstances to the complainant.”