JNU sedition case: Delhi Govt to explain delay in sanction, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate

DCP (Special Cell) of the Delhi Police Pramod Kushwaha today informed the Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Sherawat that the request for sanction in the JNU sedition case is pending before the Delhi Government..Kushwaha had appeared after the CMM of Patiala House Court yesterday asked for his presence to explain the delay in procuring sanction in the sedition case against against Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and others..“There are Supreme Court, High Court judgments…Sanction is an administrative action. A chargesheet can be filed (without procuring sanction first)”, the DCP contended..Seeking more time for the approval, the DCP said that they were ‘in touch’ with the Home Department of the Delhi Government..“We are yet to receive any reply”, he said..After hearing the DCP, the Court opined that it was for the Delhi Government to explain the delay now..“Your role is over…I will ask the Delhi Government now. It needs to tell”, Judge Sherawat said..The chargesheet in the case was filed by the Delhi Police more than two months ago, on January 14..Apart from former JNUSU President Kanhaiya, the chargesheet has named students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and seven others for allegedly raising “anti-national” slogans at the JNU campus on February 2, 2016..They are booked for commission of offences under Sections 124A,143,147,149,120B and 323 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)..Judge Sherawat had, however, refused to take cognizance on the chargesheet due to absence of legal sanction..The Delhi Police claims to have based its findings on the basis of documentary evidence, CCTV footage, and eye-witness accounts of approximately 90 persons..Kanhaiya was granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court in the matter in March 2016, almost three weeks after being arrested on charges of sedition. Soon after, an Additional Sessions Judge granted interim bail to Khalid as well as Bhattacharya in the case.