A Delhi court has granted protection from arrest till November 5 to Sehla Rashid, former vice president of the JNU Students Union in a sedition case.
Granting the relief on a petition by Ms. Rashid Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar Jain said: " Considering all the facts, I am of the view that matter requires investigation in detail. Accordingly, accused shall not be arrested till November 5, however, she shall investigation as and when called by the investigating officer."
The court then posted the matter for hearing on November 5.
Earlier, when during the hearing the Judge asked the prosecutor whether the police had received any complaint from the Army, he replied in the negative.
The prosecutor also informed the court that the police required at least six weeks to wrap the investigation. Counsel for Ms. Rashid submitted that his client was ready to join investigation.
The Delhi Police has lodged a case against Ms. Rashid on a complaint by a lawyer on her tweets about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the withdrawal of the special status to the State.
In the compliant, lawyer Alok Srivastava alleged that Ms. Rashid, in a series of tweets, mentioned alleged human rights violations by the Indian Army to serve the agenda of the ruling BJP.
In a series of tweets, Ms. Rashid had claimed that the Indian Army was indiscriminately picking up men, raiding houses and torturing people in the Valley. She also claimed that human rights abuses were being carried out in Kashmir.
The allegations had drawn sharp reactions. Ms. Rashid, however, had said that she was ready to give the evidence when the Indian Army constitutes an inquiry.
The Indian Army has officially rejected Ms. Rashid’s claims and called them “baseless” and “unverified”.
(With inputs from IANS)
