The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) high-level inquiry committee on Thursday, 5 July, upheld Umar Khalid's rustication and Kanhaiya Kumar's fine over the 9 February 2016 incident on varsity campus.
In February 2016, JNU found itself in the middle of a controversy over an event in which “anti-national” slogans were allegedly raised. The slogans were raised at an event allegedly organised to mark the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
A sedition case was registered against Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who were believed to have been closely involved with the event. They were arrested soon after incident. However, they were eventually given bail.
The case triggered a nationwide debate in 2016 with many criticising the police’s response as “suppression of free speech and dissent.” The case is being probed by the Special Cell since March 2016.
(With inputs from PTI)
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