JNU row: As it happened on February 22, 2016

The five students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, Rama Naga, Ashutosh Kumar and Anant Prakash had gone missing from the campus since February 12.

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: As five JNU students, including Umar Khalid, who the police had been looking for in connection with a sedition case, on Sunday night surfaced on the campus, there is speculation whether the students will surrender or will they be arrested.

22 February 2016

21:43 IST

Jawaharlal Nehru University today granted 7-days extension to the high-level committee set up by it to enquire into an event held in varsity campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. "The committee today sought some more time from us as it needs to properly examine the evidences. We granted an extension of 7 days," JNU registrar Bhupinder Zutshi told PTI.

21:42 IST

JNU Teachers Association today demanded that the varsity's Registrar Bhupinder Zutshi be sacked for alleged mishandling of the row at the university over an event against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar today met a delegation of over 300 teachers, who submitted before him a memorandum detailing four demands - PTI.

20:51 IST

Delhi Police and the Registrar General of Delhi High Court seem to have differed with the apex court-appointed Committee on the violence in Patiala House Court complex on February 17 in their reports submitted to the Supreme Court. Sources said the six-member committee of senior lawyers, whose report was not signed by one member who represents the Delhi Police in the matter, said the accused, JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar who was arrested on sedition charge, was assaulted both outside and inside the court room. However, the police and the Registrar's reports have suggested that Kumar was not assaulted inside the courtroom as mentioned by the apex-court appointed panel.  The report of the this panel has been signed by senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Rajeev Dhawan, Dushyant Dave, Haren Raval and advocate ADN Rao - PTI.

18:14 IST

We are asking the university to take steps to withdraw sedition charges against students. VC has assured us that police won't enter the campus. We welcome this decision: Vikram Aditya Choudhary, JNUTA secretary. 

18:14 IST

Teachers Association have demanded that the registrar must be removed from his position: Vikram Aditya Choudhary, JNUTA secretary.

17:14 IST

Police will take action at the right time, will take appropriate action according to the law: Kiren Rijiju.

15:31 IST

Meeting of Teachers association with Vice Chancellor has started.

13:34 IST

Chennai: All India Students Federation (AISF) activists protest in support of JNU students #JNURow pic.twitter.com/Ac6jT8Eozj

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 22, 2016

12:46 IST

Meanwhile, Supreme Court directs all the concerned parties to share the reports on Patiala House court violence among themselves. Reports have been submitted before the court by Registrar Delhi HC, SC Panel, Delhi Police, Bar Council, Delhi HC Administrative committee, and counsel of accused. Next date of hearing is March 10.

12:39 IST

We want a detailed discussion (in Parliament) on JNU issue. People should know what really happened there, the cause and the consequence of the act - Venkaiah Naidu

12:38 IST

JNU VC should take a courageous stand, get all charges dropped and remove the Registrar, says Anant, one of the accused students.

11:51 IST

I am confident that my team is competent enough to deal with this matter - Bassi

11:50 IST

They (accused students) should join the probe. If they are innocent, they should present evidence of their innocence. The world is full of opportunities and options - Bassi

11:49 IST

Whenever we are handling any sensitive issue, we ensure that we do not disturb the law and order situation, says Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi.

11:48 IST

University should take steps to get criminal charges like criminal conspiracy, sedition dropped against students - JNUTA

11:40 IST

We will meet the VC and demand that frivolous charges against the accused students be dropped. Internal inquiry mechanism is needed, police should not be allowed to enter and arrest, says Ajay Patnaik of JNU teachers association

11:13 IST

A meeting between Special CP (law and order), DCP and Joint CP currently underway at Delhi Police headquarters to discuss JNU issue.

11:07 IST

Police can come, we are here. We will cooperate. We will abide by every decision of the Vice Chancellor, Rama Naga adds.

11:06 IST

Some people from outside came and raised those anti-national slogans. We asked them to leave and complained, says Rama Naga, one of the accused students in sedition case.

10:47 IST

CID team of Delhi Police is present in JNU campus, reports ANI.

10:40 IST

The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a plea seeking contempt action against jailed JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, former DU lecturer SAR Geelani and few others on the ground that they allegedly termed the execution of Afzal Guru as judicial killing.

10:30 IST

Meanwhile, CNN-IBN is reporting that the controversial video, in which JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was seen allegedly raising anti-India slogans, has been sent for forensic tests.

10:10 IST

JNU Vice Chancellor Jagdesh Kumar is meeting varsity registrar Bhoopender Zutshi​ and other officials to discuss the resurfacing of five students on campus who the police were searching for in connection with a sedition case.

10:00 IST

Delhi Police sources say they will not enter the JNU campus without vice chancellor's permission. The JNU VC has barred the entry of media and police inside the campus.

09:30 IST

The five JNU students who surfaced on campus on Sunday night continue to refuse to surrender before police. They add they will not resist if police try to arrest them.

09:00 IST

Five JNU students, including Umar Khalid, who the police have been looking for in connection with a sedition case, Sunday night surfaced on campus, saying they did not do anything wrong but were "framed" using "doctored video".

While police rushed a team to the campus on receiving information about them, the students maintained that "they will not surrender but police can come and arrest them".

The five students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, Rama Naga, Ashutosh Kumar and Anant Prakash had gone missing from the campus since February 12 after JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested in a sedition case lodged in connection with an event held on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

According to Ashutosh, former president of JNU students union and a PhD scholar at varsity's School of International studies, they "have come back with a view of supporting the enquiry. The massive support we got from students and others from across the globe gave us the strength to return. I, Rama, Anirban and Anant were around but did not come in public due to atmosphere of mob lynching."

He, however, maintained that the four of them were not in touch with Umar Khalid and had spoken to him last on February 9, the day of the event.

Ashutosh said the students were in Delhi itself and that the decision to return on Sunday evening had been taken individually and not collectively.

"We didn't do anything wrong but were being framed using doctored video. We will not go anywhere now and will be part of the movement against the branding of university as anti-national," he said.

The five students also participated in a march, shouting slogans and demanding release of Kanhiaya and addressed a gathering of students at varsity's administrative block where the protests have been going on ever since the controversy erupted.

Khalid denied that he had any terrorist links, while Anirban maintained that it was the lookout notice issued by police which made him decide to come back.

"I am disturbed at the way I have been attacked and I am also angry at the comments posted against my sister on social media," Khalid said.

When contacted the university officials, maintained that they had no information about the students' presence in the varsity's premises.

JNU Vice Chancellor Jagdesh Kumar later said that the entry for police as well as media persons has been barred for now and a call in this regard will be taken Monday morning.