The Chief Justice’s Court in the Delhi High Court will hear a plea, tomorrow seeking the release of all students and residents who were detained in the aftermath of the CAA protests in Jamia Milia University (Jamia).
A single Judge Bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru today transferred the plea to the Chief’s Court after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and ASG Aman Lekhi informed that as per the Supreme Court’s order, all Jamia matters had to be considered by the Chief Justice.
Apart from seeking the release of the detained students and residents, the plea preferred by advocate Nabila Hasan with Jamia students Ladida Farzana and Ayesha Rema also seeks the constitution of a court-monitored committee headed by a retired High Court or Supreme Court Judge to conduct a judicial enquiry into the acts of violence and arbitrary detention.
Appearing for the petitioners, Advocate Siddharth Seem today also made an oral prayer to grant protection from coersive action to the three petitioners.
Opposing the request, SG Mehta and ASG Lekhi remarked that there was no emergent necessity for the same since the matter was coming up hearing on the next day.
It was added that in fact, there were no detainee with the Delhi Police.
The hearing also witnessed Delhi Government Standing Counsel (Criminal) Rahul Mehra batting for grant of interim protection to the petitioners.
Clarifying at the outset that he had no instructions on behalf of Delhi Police and was only speaking as an officer of the court, Mehra said,
“These are not hardened criminals.. These are the women of our country. They have no criminal antecedents..”
Intervening Mehra, SG Mehta stated that he was representing all the parties in the case including Delhi Police.
“.. this is unfortunate..”, he said.
“(Then) I want to be on the side of being unfortunate., Mehra retorted.
In conclusion, Justice Bakhru clarified that had the petition sought a specific interim relief with respect to the three petitioners apart from giving other necessary information, the Court would have considered the same.
Asking the counsel to move an appropriate application for protection, Justice Bakhru said,
“You are at liberty.. if there is any precipitating action (against you), this court is available throughout…if there is an application, we will give it the consideration that it deserves.”
Earlier today, the Delhi High Court had agreed to hear a plea seeking the constitution of a fact-finding committee tomorrow, to look into the incidents of violence which took place at Jamia.