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Assault on JNU leader at court pre-planned: NHRC

By BIG WIRE

Posted on February 19, 2016

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The National Human Rights Commission on Friday said there was a serious dereliction of duty on the part of the Delhi Police when Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was produced at the Patiala House Court on Wednesday.

The apex human rights body that took suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report and initiated an inquiry into the issue also said the statement issued by the police as an appeal on behalf of Kumar was not written by him voluntarily.

A copy of the inquiry report submitted by the NHRC team has been forwarded to the Commisioner of Police, Delhi and the Director General of Prisons, Tihar Jail for their comments to be received by the rights body on or before February 26.

The arrest of Kumar last week on charge of sedition for allegedly raising anti-India slogans at JNU campus has kicked off a major controversy dividing people on political lines.

NHRC said Kumar was abused and physically assaulted by some persons “dressed as advocates” in the Patiala House court premises on Wednesday.

NHRC Press release

He was even assaulted inside a courtroom in the presence of police who did not do anything to prevent the assault or apprehend the attackers even though they were identified by the student leader, the rights body observed.

“The physical assault on Kumar in the court premises appears to be organized and pre-planned,” NHRC said.
Further slamming the Delhi Police, NHRC said Kumar was subjected to psychological pressure during interrogation though he did not complain of any physical assault by the police while in custody.

The statement which was issued by the police as an appeal (to the students) on behalf of Kumar was not written by him voluntarily. “The content, construction and framework of the statement were as dictated by the police,” it said.

Big Wire