HC asks police to file status report on plea against Kanhaiya Kumar

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police was today directed by the High Court to file a status report on a petition seeking initiation of perjury proceedings against ex-JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar and a JNU professor for allegedly filing false affidavit along with the bail plea in a sedition case.

Justice S P Garg asked the police to file a status report within four weeks and fixed the matter for December 19.

In his plea, petitioner Prashant Kumar Umrao has claimed that JNU professor Himanshu had "deliberately" filed a false affidavit in the high court along with the bail petition on behalf of Kanhaiya in the sedition case in which the student leader is one of the accused.

On March 2, Kanhaiya was granted six month interim bail by the high court. He was later granted regular bail by the trial court in connection with the case relating to an event inside JNU campus on February 9 in which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.

During the hearing, advocate R P Luthra, who appeared for the petitioner, said his petition was different from the issue raised during the arguments on bail plea.

"This plea is regarding the false affidavit filed by them (professor and Kanhaiya). I am seeking initiation of perjury proceedings against them," he told the court.

Kanhaiya was arrested on February 12 on charges of alleged sedition. Two other students, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, were later arrested in connection with the case and they were initially granted interim bail.

A trial court had on August 26 granted regular bail to the three accused.