Anti-CAA protests: Court seeks report from police on probe into attack on Jamia students

A court here on Tuesday directed the Delhi police to submit a specific status report on the alleged police attacks on students inside the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia University during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act on December 15 last year.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur asked the investigating officer to file the report by March 20.

The court also directed the police to come with their case diary on the next date of hearing to show what investigation has been done against the personnel who had allegedly barged into the university campus and lathi-charged the students.

The case is being investigated by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch.

On December 15 last year, protests in the area against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) turned violent. Four DTC buses, 100 private vehicles and 10 police bikes were damaged. Police had said that they entered the campus while chasing the violent protesters who had taken shelter there, but the students had alleged they were brutally beaten up by the cops.

The court was hearing a plea filed by All India Students' Association (AISA) secretary Chandan Kumar.

The petitioner has sought a court-monitored probe alleging that the investigating agency was shielding police personnel who had "wreaked havoc" on the varsity's premises.

The Left-leaning student outfit's leader has been named as an accused in the case.

Kumar's plea, filed through advocates Adit S Pujari and Kriti Awasthi, sought monitoring of the probe "as the investigating agency, while shielding its own policemen who wreaked havoc in the premises of Jamia Millia Islamia University, has proceeded to name the applicant (Kumar), who is a peace-loving citizen/student leader".

It also sought directions to the police to return Kumar's mobile phone, which was seized by the agency during his questioning.

The plea claimed that Kumar had to unlock his mobile phone due to pressure from members of the investigating agency.

It also sought directions to the police to ensure that a fair investigation is conducted and appropriate material made available before any decision for coercive action is taken.