Pleas to cancel Kanhaiya's bail to be heard on March 23

The Delhi High Court on Thursday posted for March 23 the hearing of pleas to cancel the six-month interim bail to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar in a sedition case.

Justice Suresh Kait said he would hear the various petitions on March 23 while denying the request of advocate R.P. Luthra, appearing for one of the petitioners, to give his plea an urgent hearing because speeches made by Kanhaiya Kumar have been damaging the country's image.

To this, the court said the police was there and taking care of it.

There were two petitions seeking cancellation of Kanhaiya Kumar's bail. Another petition sought direction for initiation of perjury proceedings against Kanhaiya Kumar for filing false affidavit to obtain interim bail.

The pleas said Kanhaiya Kumar has violated the conditions imposed on him by the Delhi High Court when it granted him interim bail on March 2.

Kanhaiya Kumar was booked and arrested on a charge of involvement in anti-national sloganeering on the JNU campus here on February 9.

One of the pleas, filed through advocate Luthra, said the speech and slogans made by Kanhaiya and his associates were nothing but "challenging the sovereignty and integrity of the nation and, therefore, clear violation of the conditions of the interim bail as the same was nothing but the continuity of anti-national activities, lowering the reputation of the entire country and its citizens in the entire world".

The petitioner said Kanhaiya Kumar made derogatory remarks against the Indian Army after his release on March 3.

"Kanhaiya Kumar continued his anti-national activities on each and every day and it became unbearable when he alleged in public that the Indian armed forces rape women in Kashmir," the plea said.

The petitioner said the various acts and omissions by and on behalf of Kanhaiya Kumar and his associates clearly demonstrate that the JNU Students Union leader wilfully and deliberately violated the conditions imposed on him by this court and the undertaking given by him.

"Despite continuity of the anti-national activities by Kanhaiya... till date, the state has failed to approach this court (for bail cancellation)," the plea said.

The petitioner urged the court to cancel the interim bail to Kanhaiya Kumar at the earliest "to minimise future damage to the reputation of India and also to restore the faith of the citizenry".