JNU's order against Kanhaiya Kumar illegal, irrational and irregular: Delhi HC

New Delhi, Delhi, India

Delhi high court on Friday described Jawaharlal Nehru University's order against Kanhaiya Kumar illegal, irrational and irregular. 

Setting aside the JNU's move to penalise Kanhaiya Kumar for breach of discipline, the court asked JNU to decide the matter after a proper hearing.

Former JNU students’ union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya had moved the Delhi High Court against the fine imposed on him by a high-level panel of the university in connection with a 2016 incident during which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised at an event to protest Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging.

The JNU's high-level inquiry committee recently upheld a fine of Rs 10,000 imposed on Kanhaiya Kumar in connection with the February 9, 2016 incident.

The JNU panel had in 2016 recommended a fine of Rs 10,000 on Kumar, the then students' union president, in connection with the campus event against Afzal Guru's hanging during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

The five-member panel had also imposed a financial penalty on 13 other students for violation of disciplinary norms.

The students had then moved the Delhi High Court, which had directed the university to place the matter before an appellate authority to review the panel’s decision. On July 5, the university had revealed that the panel upheld its decision against Khalid and Kumar and in some cases the penalty was reduced.

Kumar, Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were arrested in February 2016 on charges of sedition in connection with the controversial event. All three are out on bail.