JNU: Khalid, Anirban granted interim bail

JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, facing sedition charge for allegedly raising anti-India slogans at the university campus last month, were on Friday granted interim bail for six months by a Delhi court on ground of parity with Kanhaiya Kumar. The court observed that the “role attributed” to JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar does not appear to be different from the allegations levelled against these two accused.

Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh granted the relief to the duo on furnishing of a personal bond in the sum of Rs 25,000 with one surety of the like amount which was complied with by them and they were ordered to be released till September 19. Sangeeta Das Gupta and Rajat Dutta, two teachers at JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies, stood sureties for Anirban and Umar respectively.

While dealing with the bail applications, the court said “although the allegations levelled against Umar and Anirban are per se serious in nature but as claimed by the police themselves, the video footage of the incident has been sent to the forensic sciences laboratory. Its analysis and final report will certainly take time.” 

“When all the aforesaid circumstances are weighed together and keeping in view that no previous criminal record of any nature whatsoever has been alleged and the fact that nothing has been brought on record which could indicate that they are likely to abscond from the jurisdiction of the court, then besides the ground of parity vis-a-vis release of Kanhaiya Kumar on bail, I deem it appropriate to release both the accused on interim bail for a period of six months...,” the judge said.

The court also directed Umar and Anirban not to leave Delhi without its permission during the period of interim bail and to make themselves available before the investigating officer as and when required.