JNU case: Court lashes out at Delhi govt for delaying sanctions to prosecute Kanhaiya, others
New Delhi, Feb 6 : A city court on Wednesday lashed out at the Delhi government over delay in granting requisite sanctions to prosecute former JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a 2016 sedition case, saying they can't sit on file indefinitely.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Sherawat directed Delhi Police to ask the authorities concerned to expedite the process while grating it three weeks to procure the sanctions needed to prosecute Kumar and other accused, including former Jawaharlal Nehru University students, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, in the case.
The court posted the matter for February 28 after Delhi Police sought more time to get the sanctions, saying the documents were pending with Delhi government and were expected in a matter of days.
"Ask the authorities concerned to expedite the matter. They can't sit on file for indefinite period," the court said.
The court had earlier questioned Delhi Police for filing a charge sheet against Kumar and others without procuring the sanctions.
"Why did you file (the charge sheet) without approval? You don't have a legal department," the court had said.
On January 14, the police filed the charge sheet at a city court against Kumar and others, saying he was leading a procession and supported seditious slogans raised on the campus during an event on February 9, 2016.
Police also charged Khalid and Bhattacharya for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans during the event to mark the hanging of Parliament-attack mastermind Afzal Guru.
Earlier, they had claimed before the court here that Kumar had raised anti-India slogans in 2016 "to incite hatred and disaffection towards the government".
Police cited statements of various witnesses in its charge sheet to state that Kumar was walking along with the protesters where a number of unidentified persons were raising slogans during the event.
The evidence listed by the agency include report of JNU's high-level committee, statement of varsity's registrar Bhupinder Jutshi and the mobile phone recordings in which Kumar was seen arguing with him over cancellation of the programme.
Police said a video shot by a news channel and clips shot by students present at the spot show that Khalid, Bhattacharya and Ashutosh were raising slogans.
It added however that the slogans raised by Ashutosh were not anti-national, unlike those by Khalid and Bhattacharya.
Khalid raised slogans as shown in the videos and mobile clips, police said, citing a video which shows him saying, "The programme is against occupation of Kashmir by the Indian State. I am making it very apparent that I am not from Kashmir but I believe that what is happening in Kashmir is Indian occupation of Kashmir..."
Regarding Rama Naga, whose name appears in column 12, the charge sheet said that he delivered speech with contents against the RSS.
On 36 others listed in column 2 of the charge sheet, including Ashutosh, Rama Naga, Banojyotsana, Shehla Rashid and Aparajitha Raja, police said that they were not seen raising anti-India slogans.
A case was registered on February 11, 2016 under sections 124A and 120B of the IPC against unidentified persons at Vasant Kunj (North) police station, following complaints from BJP lawmaker Maheish Girri and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.
The event had taken place despite the university administration cancelling the permission, following a complaint from ABVP, which had termed it "anti-national".
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Karnataka MLCs question limestone mining nod to Adani Group despite legal objections
Bengaluru: Members of the Karnataka Legislative Council from both the treasury and opposition benches raised objections to the Mines and Geology Department’s decision to permit limestone mining by ACC Cement Limited, owned by the Adani Group, despite reservations expressed by the Law Department.
BJP MLC and former minister C T Ravi and Congress MLC K Shivakumar, speaking on behalf of party colleague Arati Krishna, said the department had overlooked the Law Department’s opinion in the matter, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Ravi told the House, on Tuesday that the Law Department had recommended initiating criminal proceedings against the company for allegedly failing to pay royalty amounting to Rs 850 crore to the government. “The Mines and Geology Department has not only failed to initiate action but has also renewed the company’s licence,” he said.
Both Ravi and Shivakumar sought clarity from the Mines and Geology Minister and urged the government to place on record the views of the Finance Department and the Advocate General regarding the issue.
Raising political questions over corporate links, Ravi asked what connection existed between “Ambani, Adani and the party that is always criticising them.”
Responding on behalf of Mines and Geology Minister S S Mallikarjun, Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy assured the House that action would be taken in accordance with the law.
He said the company had approached the court and, in compliance with judicial directions, the government permitted it to continue mining operations under its existing licence. “However, no new licence has been issued,” he clarified.
Addressing concerns over the recovery of pending royalty dues despite court orders, Chaluvarayaswamy said, “Adani is not a God here, and we have no connection with him. Royalty will be recovered as per the law.”
