SC refuses to take up Kanhaiya bail plea, ask him to move HC

New Delhi: Supreme Court on February 19 refused to take up JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar's bail, plea and instead asked his lawyers to move the Delhi High Court instead. The SC has asked the HC to expeditiously hear the bail plea of Kanhaiya Kumar.

The SC said moving the court for bail directly will create a situation where accused from across the country will approach it directly instead of going to lower courts.

The SC also asked the government to ensure saftety and security of the counsel representing different parties.

Claiming threat to his life in Tihar Jail, JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested on sedition charges, had directly approached the Supreme Court for bail.

In the petition, filed through advocate Anindita Pujari, Kumar, who was attacked yesterday in the Patial House court complex by a group of lawyers, claimed his innocence.

He has submitted that there is a threat to his life and there was a need for the apex court to intervene for safeguarding his life and limb.

Kumar said no purpose would be served by keeping him in the jail as the police has been finding it difficult to produce him even in the court. There was no need for his custodial interrogation as he has already been sent to judicial custody, he contended.

His bail petition was mentioned before a bench of justices J Chelameswar and A M Sapre by senior advocate Soli J Sorabjee and Raju Ramachandran who wanted it to be heard on Feb 18 itself.

However, when the bench suggested that they would consider it on Feb 19, they agreed.

Kanhaiya's lawyers said they would move for a mention in the Delhi High Court on Feb19 afternoon, to take up the bail plea today itself.