Hyderabad: The Saroornagar police on Sunday booked a sedition case against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury and JNU student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid in connection with the JNU row.
An advocate had filed a complaint in the LB Nagar court, which referred the case to the Saroornagar police. Congress leader Ajay Maken and CPI leader D. Raja have also been booked by the police.
The complainant, advocate Janardhan Goud, had submitted CDs of videos telecast by Zee News and Times Now, which allegedly showed “anti-national” slogans by JNU students.
He alleged that political leaders like Mr Gandhi and others had supported the “anti-national” students of JNU and demanded that sedition cases be booked against the students.
Publicity stunt, say lawyers
Earlier, various media channels had exposed that the videos aired by Zee News and Times Now had been doctored. However, the complainant stated that he believed them to be real.
The Saroornagar police, who received the order from 11th Metropolitan Magistrate of LB Nagar, issued the FIR naming Mr Gandhi, Mr Kejriwal, Mr Yechury, Mr Kanhaiya Kumar and Mr Khalid. “We have booked a case under IPC section 124, 124A (sedition),” said inspector S. Lingaiah.
According to Cyberabad police officials, it was compulsory to book the case since it was referred by the court. But the investigation official will take further steps only after taking legal opinion.
“The incident occurred in JNU in Delhi and it does not come under our jurisdiction. So we will take legal opinion before starting investigation,” said Mr Lingaiah.
Meanwhile, senior officials said that summons or arrests by the Cyberabad police is unlikely. “Firstly, a case against the JNU student leaders is already being investigated by the Delhi police. Secondly, we need proof against Oppos-ition leaders,” said a senior police official.
Prominent lawyers said tthe case was weak and was a publicity stunt by the complainant.
“How will the charges of sedition against those leaders be proved? Some people want publicity. This is just a stunt,” said lawyer Pappu Nageswar Rao, adding that the court should have thoroughly verified proof.
Legal experts said the case cannot proceed due to lack of evidence. It can also be nullified if the opposite parties filed a quash petition in court.
