Anirban Bhattacharya and Umar Khalid urge Delhi HC to stay rustication

JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who were rusticated by the varsity’s high-level inquiry committee, have moved the Delhi high court for putting on hold the disciplinary action taken against them till their appeals against the decision are decided by the university’s appellate authority.

The two students in their applications have same relief that was given to JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and others against whom disciplinary action was taken by the varsity over a controversial event on February 9.

The high court on May 13 put on hold disciplinary action taken against Mr Kumar and others after the JNUSU undertook to immediately withdraw its hungerstrike and not to indulge in any further agitation. In its 13 order, the high court had also said if the appeals of the students were rejected, then the order of appellate authority would not be given effect to till a period of two weeks.

Mr Khalid and Mr Bhattacharya, who along with Mr Kumar, have been accused of sedition over the February 9 event, said that they would be moving the appellate authority against the disciplinary action taken by the JNU on the basis of recommendations of the high-level inquiry committee.

While Mr Khalid was rusticated for one semester and slapped with a fine of Rs 20,000, Mr Bhattacharya was rusticated till July 15 and after July 23 he was barred from the university campus for five years. Mr Bhattacharya was only given a week between July 16-22 to complete his thesis.

The applications have been filed in their petitions moved on May 9 challenging the disciplinary action against them. On May 10, when their matter was taken up, the JNU had agreed in court to extend the date of deposit of fine by Mr Khalid to May 30.