Kanhaiya Asks for Speedy Trial at Fast-track Court for Sedition Case

New Delhi, February 29, 2020:

Former Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar has welcomed the move of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government’s nod to prosecute him in connection to a 2016 sedition case and asked for a speedy trial at a fast-track court.

“I want a speedy trial in a fast-track court so that the entire country gets to know how a law like Sedition is being misused,” Kanhaiya was quoted as saying. Apart from Kanhaiya, nine others have also been mentioned in the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police.

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Speaking to mediapersons, Kumar alleged that the latest developments had political interest. He said, “The charge-sheet was filed for the first time when I was about to contest the election and now elections are going to be held in Bihar again. There is NDA govt in Bihar, the state govt has passed a resolution in the assembly against NRC-NPR.”

Meanwhile senior Congress leader P Chidambaram lashed out at the Delhi government for its sanction to prosecute Kanhaiya Kumar and nine others with the sedition case. He said that the state government is “no less ill-informed than the Centre” in its understanding of the sedition law.

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“I strongly disapprove of the sanction granted to prosecute Mr Kanhaiya Kumar and others for alleged offences under sections 124A and 120B of IPC,” said Chidambaram.

It may be mentioned here that Delhi Police in 2019 had filed the charge sheet at a city court against Kanhaiya Kumar and others, citing that he was leading a procession and supported seditious slogans at an event in February 2016.

It also charged former JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya with allegedly shouting anti-India slogans.

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