Delhi HC asks JNU not to take any coercive step against Kanhaiya till July 20

The Delhi High Court today directed Jawaharlal Nehru University not to take any coercive step on a fine imposed against its former students union president Kanhaiya Kumar till July 20.

A Rs 10,000 fine was imposed on Kumar by an appellate authority of the university in connection with a 2016 incident in which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised at an event relating to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's hanging.

Justice Rekha Palli, in an oral order, asked the university not to take any coercive action as far as depositing the fine is concerned.

The matter came up before Justice Palli as the concerned judge was on leave.

The judge said she has not read the file and the matter should be listed before the regular bench on July 20.

Senior advocate Rebecca John and advocate Tarannum Cheema, appearing for Kumar, said the urgency was that he ceases to be a student of the university and the last date to deposit the fine is today.

Former JNU students union (JNUSU) president Kumar had moved the Delhi High Court yesterday against the fine imposed on him.

On February 9, 2016, a poetry event was held at JNU in connection with the third anniversary of Guru's hanging for his role in the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001.

A high-level panel of JNU had in 2016 recommended a fine of Rs 10,000 on Kumar.

It also recommended that another student, Umar Khalid, be rusticated in connection with the incident. Besides, financial penalty was imposed on 13 other students for violation of disciplinary norms.

The students had then moved the Delhi High Court, which had directed the university to place the matter before an appellate authority to review the panel's decision.

On July 5, the university had revealed that the appellate authority upheld the decision against Khalid and Kumar and in some cases the penalty has been reduced.

Kumar, Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested in February 2016 on charges of sedition in connection with the controversial event, are out on bail.