Sedition row: JNU inquiry panel upholds Umar Khalid's rustication, Kanhaiya Kumar's fine

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New Delhi: The high-level inquiry committee of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Thursday upheld the rustication of its student Umar Khalid and student leader-turned-politician Kanhaiya Kumar's fine over the 2016 incident held at its campus. 

The committee concluded that the decision to rusticate Khalid and slap a fine of Rs 10,000 against Kanhaiah will be upheld. 

In 2016, JNU recommended Rs 10,000 fine on Kanhaiya Kumar for violating disciplinary norms and participating in pro-Afzal sloganeering at an event held in the college campus on February 9. Both Kanhaiya and Umar are PhD scholars at JNU or Jawaharlal Nehru University. Umar Khalid has also been fined Rs 20,000.

The students had then moved the Delhi High Court, which had directed the university to place the matter before an appellate authority to review the panel's decision.

Two other students who were also rusticated along with Khalid were Mujeeb Gattoo and Anirban Bhattacharya. While Mujeeb was rusticated for 2 semesters, Anirban got rusticated till July 15, 2016, and was barred from pursuing any course in the university for next 5 years, PTI quoted JNU administration as saying. 

The university also prohibited student Ashutosh’s entry into the JNU hostel for one year and imposed Rs 20,000 fine on him.

Umar is accused of organising the controversial February 9 pro-Afzal event while Kanhaiya was accused of raising anti-national slogans during the event. 

Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested in February 2016 on charges of sedition in connection with the controversial event. All the three students are currently out on bail.