JNU Sedition: Delhi Police filed chargesheet secretly and in hasty manner, Delhi Government

The Delhi Government has informed the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Patiala House that the chargesheet in the JNU sedition case was filed by Delhi Police secretly and in a hasty manner, without obtaining approval from the competent authority..The government has further stated the decision on grant of sanction or otherwise would be taken within one month from receipt of opinion on the same from the GNCT Standing Counsel (criminal)..The statement came after CMM Deepak Sherawat directed the Delhi Government to file a written response detailing a definite timeframe within which it would decide on the issue of sanction..“The sanction is being held back..they will determine whether the slogans were seditious or not”, the Public Prosecutor said..DCP (Special Cell) of the Delhi Police Pramod Kushwaha had earlier informed the Court that the request for sanction was in the domain of the Delhi Government and that the role of Delhi Police was over..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 Kumar, 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 and Bhattacharya in the case..The matter will be next heard on April 8..Kanhaiya Kumar Image: The Wire