JNU student booked for violating lockdown says had an emergency, accuses admin of blackmail

Delhi police booked a Jawaharlal Nehru University student for allegedly violating the lockdown and threatening to cough up to spread coronavirus, but the student on Saturday said he had the warden's permission and wanted to step out of the campus because of an emergency.

Pranav Menon came to the north gate of the varsity around 8pm on Wednesday and wanted to step out. Security officials told him no one can go outside and he sat near the gate, according to the FIR.

When he was asked to leave, Menon said he will cough up and spread coronavirus, it said.

When security officials tried to remove him, he scuffled with them and removed their masks, the FIR stated.

Later, a case under relevant sections of the IPC was registered, police added.

But Menon, an M Phil Student at the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, filed an online police complaint on Saturday, accusing the varsity administration of "blatantly targeting" him.

He accused the security of "maligning" his name by filing a complaint for violating the lockdown.

"Such forms of blackmail is not unknown to the JNU administration. I had received permission to leave the campus from the warden of Tapti hostel. The warden has agreed to testify on my behalf," he said.

He said he informed the security he had no intention of returning to the campus in view of the lockdown.

"My reason to leave the campus was my friend was unwell and could not carry on alone in his residence," he said.

In his complaint, he asked for the CCTV footage on the main gate to be secured so the police can investigate the manner in which "entry and exit through the gate was being sanctioned".

He said he didn't violate the lockdown from March 18 to April 1 and had to step out on April 1 only because of an emergency.

He also accused the security personnel of assaulting him and said he had suffered injuries.