JNUSU stages protest; rape accused sent to 14-day judicial custody

The protest was led by JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid Shora and general secretary Rama Naga. Both are members of All India Students’ Association (AISA). “We submitted our memorandum to police to stop the flow of information in public that could lead to character assassination of the complainant,” said Rama Naga.

“The fact that details of the hearing came out in the newspaper which indicates towards leakage of information including details of the identity of the complainant by the police. The statement included indication of the identity of the complainant. These are more serious offences and more distressing of happening by the way of information being provided to the media by the police,” added Naga.  

The JNUSU will also organise a protest at the administration block at 11 am on August 26 to demand suspension of the accused. However, the BJP-backed ABVP was not a part of the team at the police headquarters. “AISA is faking concerns for women safety. The fact is that the accused Annol Ratan was a leading activist of AISA,” said Saurabh Sharma of ABVP.

Meanwhile, Annol Ratan was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a city Court on Thursday. The cops also informed that mobile phones of both the 28-year-old rape victim and the accused have been seized by police for forensic tests.

The victim and the accused had first started interacting on Facebook and were also in touch over phone which have been seized for forensic tests, a senior police officer said on Thursday.