A Delhi court on Saturday allowed the custodial interrogation of JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested in a sedition case, by two more days.
The court extended the police custody of the duo, who had allegedly organised a controversial event at the JNU on February 9, 2016 where anti-India slogans were said to have been raised, after police contended that they were required for further probe in the case.
The police claimed that around 22 people present at the JNU event, including some outsiders, have been identified after the joint interrogation of Mr. Khalid, Mr. Bhattacharya and JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar arrested in the same case.
Mr. Khalid and Mr. Bhattacharya were earlier sent to police remand for three days on February 24, 2016, after their midnight surrender and subsequent arrest in the case.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had ordered that “confidentiality” be maintained during the remand proceedings of Mr. Khalid and Mr. Bhattacharya, besides Mr. Kumar, while directing the police to ensure that no one “suffers even a scratch” and there is no ruckus this time.
Lawyers had allegedly assaulted Mr. Kumar on February 17, 2016 when he was brought to Patiala House Courts complex for remand proceedings, in defiance of a Supreme Court order. Two days earlier, when Mr. Kumar was to be brought to the court, the same set of lawyers had thrashed journalists and JNU students and teachers.
The High Court order had came during the hearing on Mr. Kumar’s bail plea after it was informed that the student leader and Mr. Khalid and Mr. Bhattacharya were apprehending threat to their safety and security during production before court.
