Feb 9 event: JNU forms panel to hear appeals of penalised

A month after Delhi High Court stayed the punishment to JNU students in connection with the controversial February 9 event, the university today formed a four-member committee to hear appeals of those who had been found guilty of indiscipline by the varsity probe panel.
"The Vice Chancellor has formed a committee to assist him in his capacity as the appellate authority to hear the appeals from students who had been found guilty by the High Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC) of violating various university rules during the February 9 incident on campus," an official statement said.
JNU was at the centre of a controversy in February this year because of an event on campus against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru at which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

Three students including the students union chief Kanhaiya Kumar were arrested in a sedition case over the event and are now out on bail. 21 JNU students were slapped with varied punishments ranging from rustication, hostel debarment to financial penalty on basis of the probe by the HLEC which found them guilty of violation of discipline norms.
The students had gone on an indefinite hunger strike against the decision which lasted for 16 days. As the varsity refused to relent and withdraw the punitive action proposed against the students despite their failing health, some students moved the Delhi High Court challenging the action.

Following this, the High Court issued directions to JNUSU to immediately withdraw the hunger strike and to not launch any fresh agitation. It had stayed action against the students till their appeals have been decided by the appellate authority.

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JNU students who had boycotted the HLEC proceedings and did not appear before the committee then, decided to appear before the new committee and file their appeals.
While few of them appeared before the four-member committee today, others including Kanhaiya may join the process when they are back in the national capital.