4 min readNew DelhiMay 21, 2020 01:28 PM IST
First published on: May 20, 2020 at 01:56 PM IST
On January 5, masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
A Delhi court has refused to grant early hearing on a plea seeking registration of FIR in a matter related to an attack on students and teachers on the JNU campus on January 5, saying only “urgent matters“ were to be taken up during the present condition posed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The application for an early hearing was moved by JNU professor Sucharita Sen, who was also injured in the attack which took place at Sabarmati tea point.
Duty Magistrate Vasundhra Chhaunkar who passed the order said, “Further, in the present condition posed due to Covid-19 pandemic, the courts are to take only the urgent matters. It is beyond the comprehension of the court as what prejudice will be caused to the complainant if already pending application…is not preponed.”
The court passed the order after noting from a status report filed by Crime Branch of Delhi Police that the investigation of the FIR already registered regarding the mob violence at JNU was in progress and the Delhi High Court has already directed to the investigating agency to expedite the matter.
The court noted that the application seeking lodging of a separate FIR was already listed for hearing on June 18 before a court concerned.
As per the status report dated May 18, 2020, the complainant has been medically examined and her statement had already been recorded. Her complaint has also been transferred to Crime Branch which was given on February 6, 2020 to PS (police station) Vasant Kunj, the court noted.
JNU violence: A timeline of how terror unfolded on campus
“It is worth reiterating that the investigation of the FIR already registered regarding mob violence at JNU is already in progress and Hon’ble High court has already directed the investigating agency to expedite the matter. This court abstains itself from making any observations upon the arguments nor the registration of separate FIR as the same may affect upon the final disposal of application u/s 156 (3) Cr.PC.,” the court said.
In her plea, Sen had told the court that the lodging of an FIR was urgent since investigation could take place only after the case is registered.
The petition, filed by Sen, had sought lodging of FIR into wanton acts of violence suffered by Sen at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus.
It claimed that the complainant (Sen) had to approach the court on account of inaction on part of the police authorities despite “clear and cogent” facts and underlying material placed by her before the investigating agency.
On January 5, masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in the police which conducted a flag march.
At least 28 people, including JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.
On January 5, masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
Share
