Police question JNU students in Kanhaiya sedition case

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Friday questioned at least four of the 30 JNU students who were asked to join a probe into a 2016 sedition case involving former student leader Kanhaiya Kumar.

The JNU students who came to record their statements before the Special Cell officers included Shehla Rashid, Mohit Pandey, Chintu Kumari and Kaushik Raj. The statements were recorded at the administrative block of the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The probe by the Delhi Police Special Cell relates to the anti-India slogans raised on the JNU campus in February last year.

"The students had been directed to be present at the administrative block from 12 p.m. onwards between April 28 and April 30," a senior police officer said.

"These 30 students are being asked to join investigation after police scanned a video footage of February 9, 2016, on the JNU campus. Their statements will play a major role in police investigation to establish charges against (JNUSU President) Kanhaiya Kumar, Omar Khalid and Anirban Bhattachaya and others for sedition," a senior police officer told IANS.

A copy of the notice was also sent to the JNU Vice Chancellor.

Their statements were recorded as the Investigating Officer had been directed by the Delhi Police top brass to start the probe afresh after going through the draft chargesheet prepared by the Special Cell.

The Legal Wing, which also got to study the draft, found that the issue needed to be probed more, the officer said.

"The draft report said there is enough evidence to prosecute Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya for sedition. It also identified nine 'outsiders' who raised anti-India slogans," the officer said.

The case was transferred to the Special Cell in March 2016.

Khalid, Anirban and Kanhaiya are accused of raising anti-India slogans on the campus at a meeting organised on February 9 last year in memory of 2001 Indian Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.