JNU: Govt and cops in blamegame over sedition case

New Delhi: The AAP government and the Delhi police engaged in a blamegame on Satu-rday after a court questioned the department for filing a chargesheet in the sedition case against former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and others without procuring the required sanction from authorities.

An AAP government spokesperson said no file seeking any prosecution sanction in any JNU-related case had so far been brought to the notice of any Delhi minister.

“If the police is making such claim, it is a complete lie and they are hiding something,” he said.

However, a senior Delhi police official said prosecution sanction is required at the stage of taking cognisance.

He said that while filing the chargesheet, the investigating officer had mentioned that he has applied for sanction from the Delhi government. “It was applied for the same day,” the spokesperson said.

Sources said the file for sanction was received by the home department and forwarded to the law department for necessary action.

Earlier, a court questioned the police on for filing a chargesheet agai-nst former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a 2016 sedition case without procuring requisite sanctions. Metropolitan magistrate Deepak Sherawat granted the police time till February 6 to procure requisite sanctions after they told the court they will get the approvals within 10 days.

“Why did you file (the chargesheet) without approval? You don’t have a legal department,” the court said. The court is likely to resume hearing on the matter soon. The police on January 14 filed the chargesheet at a city court against Mr Kumar and others, saying he was leading a procession and supported seditious slogans raised on the varsity campus during an event in February 2016.