The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed Jawaharlal Nehru University not to take any coercive step against its former students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar till July 20 on a fine imposed in connection with a 2016 on-campus event where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.
Relief till July 20
The ₹10,000 fine was imposed on Mr. Kumar by an appellate authority of the university regarding the February 2016 event relating to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging.
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Justice Rekha Palli, in an oral order, asked the university not to take any coercive action as far as depositing the fine is concerned.
The matter came up before Justice Palli as the judge concerned was on leave. The judge said she has not read the file and the matter should be listed before the regular Bench on July 20.
Senior advocate Rebecca John and advocate Tarannum Cheema, appearing for Mr. Kumar, said there was an urgency to the issue as the “last date to deposit the fine is today [Wednesday]”.
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Mr. Kumar had moved the High Court on Tuesday seeking direction to quash the order of July 4, passed by university through the chief proctor, that imposed the fine on the former student leader.