Ahead of Kanhaiya Kumar case hearing, lawyers turn violent again outside Patiala House Court

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Feb 17, 2016: In a brazen defiance of Supreme Court order for maintaining peace and security outside the Patiala House Court, which is due to hear a sedition case involving JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, two group of lawyers clashed with each other and the security officials present there on Wednesday.

According to initial reports, a group of lawyers led by Vikram Chauhan started raising pro-India slogans of "Vande Mataram" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" outside the Patiala House Court here.

The scuffle began after a group of lawyers, carrying Indian flags, shouted at the supporters of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is due to be produced before a metropolitan magistrate.

The supporters of the JNUSU president clashed with the protesting lawyers.

The agitating lawyers also assaulted journalists present. However, they later denied beating up any journalist or causing disturbance outside the court.

’’They are trying to beat us up and we don’t even respond,’’ lawyer Vikram Chauhan told reporters here.

’’People who said ’Pakistan Zindabad’ have been made heroes and we are being called ’gundas,’’ he further alleged.

Meanwhile, the security in and around the court complex have been beefed up and all gates barring the main entrance have been closed.

The unfortunate incident occurred hours after the Supreme Court directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure proper and adequate security at Patiala House court complex where JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, charged with sedition, is to be produced before a metropolitan magistrate.

 

The apex court ordered that there will be restricted entry of people which will include the lawyers for the accused and prosecution, in the court room during the proceedings relating to the remand of Kanhaiya whose extended police custody of two days is expiring today.

Besides the presence of lawyers of both sides, the bench comprising Justices J Chelameswar and A M Sapre said that the two family members of the accused, if present, will be allowed in the court room, otherwise one faculty member of JNU and a student would be allowed on behalf of the accused.

The bench also restricted the entry of mediapersons inside the court room during the proceeding by limiting it to five journalists.

It said that 25 journalists would be allowed to enter the compound and all the entries would be allowed only after proper identification and verification.

The apex court asked the Delhi High Court Registrar General to be present in the Patiala House Court complex for verification of people or group of people who have been allowed access to the court room and its compound.

It, however, said that the directions given by it were limited to today only.

The bench was informed that administrative committee of the Delhi High Court will meet at 2 pm today to analyse and peruse the report of the District Judge who was asked to prepare the account of the incident that had taken place on February 15 at the Patiala House court where the lawyers had thrashed students, teachers and journalists who were presnt in connection with the Kanhaiya Kumar case.