JNU case: Delhi Police has evidence to nail Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, 7 others

New Delhi: The Delhi Police's Special Cell has credible evidence to nail Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and seven others in connection with the February 9, 2016 event, in which slogans were raised in support of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front co-founder Maqbool Bhatt, a report said on Wednesday.

According to sources, out of the nine students, a few were allegedly associated with other universities like Jamia and Aligarh Muslim University. Besides, Umar and Anirban, seven other students were Kashmiris.

When asked to comment on the reports, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak refused to divulge anything, saying it is a sensitive case and the probe is still going on.

However, sources said that the police has accumulated enough evidence against Umar Khalid, the main organiser of the February 09 event.

The JNU student was reportedly solely responsible for putting up posters and banners across the campus inviting the students to gather for a protest march against "judicial killing of Afzal Guru" and in solidarity with "struggle" of Kashmiri migrants, at varsity's Sabarmati dhaba.

The Delhi Police has reportedly examined 40 videos of the event.

The students allegedly shouted slogans hailing 'Shaeed Afzal Guru' and also chanted anti-India slogans. They also expressed solidarity with "struggle" of Kashmiri migrants and advocated for 'Azad Kashmir'.

The Police has recorded statements of JNU staff and mediapersons and it is being learnt that there is no chance of Umar, Anirban and their associates getting a clean chit.

The report said that the police is yet to file its chargesheet as it wants to have its hand full with credible information.

The university authorities had not give permission to hold any programme supporting Afzal Guru as they "feared" the same might "disrupt" peace on campus.

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) affiliated ABVP objected to such a program and complained to the Vice Chancellor.

However, when the other group didn't relent and went ahead with the event, the ABVP supporters went ahead and protested, which led to the scuffle between the two student groups.

The authorities later called the police in order to restore law and order in the campus.

Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya – were arrested on sedition charges for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at the campus on February 9 – were released from Tihar jail in March 2016.

Additional sessions judge Reetesh Singh granted an interim bail for six months to Khalid and Bhattacharya saying "at this stage bail is made out."

Jawaharlal University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was also arrested in connection with the incident.

Kanhiaya Kumar belongs to the CPI-affiliated All India Students Federation (AISF).