New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday allowed the custodial interrogation of two JNU students, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested in a sedition case, by two more days.
The court extended the police custody of the duo, who had allegedly organised a controversial event at the JNU on February 9 where anti-India slogans were said to have been raised, after police contended that they were required for further probe in the case.
The police claimed that around 22 people present at the flashpoint JNU event, including some outsiders, have been identified after the joint interrogation of Khalid, Anirban and JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar arrested in the same case.
Khalid and Anirban were earlier sent to three days' police remand on February 24, after their midnight surrender and subsequent arrest in the case.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had ordered that "confidentiality" be maintained during the remand proceedings of Umar and Anirban, besides Kumar, while directing the police to ensure that no one "suffers even a scratch" and there is no ruckus this time.
Lawyers had allegedly assaulted Kumar when he was brought to Patiala House Court for remand proceedings, in defiance of a Supreme Court order, on February 17. Two days earlier, when Kumar was to be brought to the court, the same set of lawyers had thrashed journalists and JNU students and teachers.
The high court order had came during the hearing on Kumar's bail plea after it was informed that the student leader and Umar and Anirban were apprehending threat to their safety and security during production before Patiala House courts for remand proceedings.
The police also inquired whether two of them were the main organisers of the February 9 event against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and whether they were involved in anti-India sloganeering which allegedly took place.
The duo had returned to the JNU campus last Sunday after going missing since February 12.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said the sedition case in connection with the controversial JNU event has been transferred to the force's counter-terrorism unit Special Cell.
"I have directed my officers to transfer the case to Special Cell as the matter needs focused investigation. In a case registered under Section 124 A (Sedition), the Special Cell shall do justice," Bassi said.
The process of transfer will take around two days, he said, adding that the local police district would not be able to put the focus which the case demands as they have to deal with numerous routine law and order affairs.
A few days after registering the case in connection with the February 9 event in JNU campus, DCP (South) Prem Nath had written to the Commissioner, requesting him to transfer the case to Special Cell.
Bassi had refused to do so then saying that the concerned police district has enough capacity to deal with the matter.
JNU Student's Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in connection with the case on February 12.
Two more students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who made the police chase them across cities for around 10 days, later surrendered themselves a day after they resurfaced in the varsity's campus on Sunday.
The students are facing sedition charges for allegedly raising 'anti-national' slogans at the JNU campus during an event to commemorate Parliament attacker Afzal Guru's third death anniversary on February 9.
