JNU panel upholds action against Umar Khalid, Kanhaiya

New Delhi: A high level inquiry committee of Jawaharlal Nehru University has upheld the rustication of Umar Khalid and imposition of Rs 10,000 fine on Kanhaiya Kumar, in connection with the February 9, 2016, incident.

The JNU panel had, in 2016, recommended rustication of Khalid and two other students, and imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 on Kumar, the then president of JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) , in connection with the campus event against Afzal Guru's hanging, during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

Meanwhile, JNUSU, in a statement on Thursday, condemning the report of the high-level enquiry committee and accused it of framing false charges, imposing baseless heavy fines and unfairly rusticating students.

The five-member committee had also imposed financial penalty on 13 other students for violation of disciplinary norms.

The accused students had then moved the Delhi High Court, which had directed the University to place the matter before an appellate authority to review the panel's decision.

According to sources, the panel has upheld its decision in the case of Khalid and Kumar.

"The penalty has also been reduced for some students like Ashutosh Kumar is now supposed to pay only the fine and will be allowed to continue staying in the hostel. Some of them are no longer JNU students so the punishment won't apply to them," a varsity source said.

"The accused students were permitted to inspect the documents and videos of evidences during the review proceedings of the panel and were also given an opportunity to appear before the appellate authority to present their defence," the source added.

Kumar, Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were arrested in February 2016 on charges of sedition in connection with the controversial event and are out on bail. Their arrest had triggered widespread protests.

In its statement, the JNUSU said, "Since 2014, after the BJP government has come to power to the Centre, it is not only inclusive higher education that has faced all round assault, but even student leaders who have been vocal about the government's shameless saffronisation propaganda in various campuses across the nation have been victimised and charged under false cases."

"JNU, being one of the torchbearers in struggles against the BJP government's attacks on higher education, has been subjected to various false charges based on BJP's 'fake nationalism' propaganda," the statement added.

The Students' Union further said that students who have been issued fresh letters will appeal before the Delhi High Court.

Meanwhile, the University's Rector, Proctor and the Vice-Chancellor are yet to make any comment on the development.