HC asks JNU not to take action against Kanhaiya Kumar, others

On Monday, Delhi high court had given similar relief to Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration to not take any action, till September 19, including the penalty against JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kanhaiya and seven others.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also asked the University to submit its response before the court on students' petition against the finding of the appellate authority.

Kanhaiya Kumar has moved the high court challenging the findings of the university's appellate authority holding him guilty of indiscipline in connection with the controversial February 9 event on campus in which "anti-India" slogans were allegedly raised.

The JNU appellate authority had imposed a fine on Kanhaiya Kumar and had asked him to file an undertaking stating that he will not participate in or be present at any illegal activity taking place on the JNU campus.

Appearing for him, senior counsel Rebecca John told the high court that to asking him not to be present where illegal activity is going on is "excessive".

On Monday, the high court had given similar relief to Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who were amongst the 21 students found guilty on indiscipline by the appellate authority, headed by the Vice Chancellor, which had upheld the decision of university's High-Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC).

The university had slapped the students with varied punishments ranging from rustication, hostel debarment to financial penalty on the basis of probe by the HLEC. While the appellate authority reduced the fine of some students, for Khalid and Bhattacharya, the punishment remained the same.