We were abused and called agents of Pakistan, says SC-appointed court commissioner Rajiv Dhawan

JNU students' union President Kanhaiya Kumar was on Wednesday remanded to judicial custody till March 2 by a Delhi court.

New Delhi: JNU students' union President Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested in a sedition case in which anti- India slogans were allegedly raised in the university premises on February 9, was on Wednesday remanded to judicial custody till March 2 by a Delhi court.

Kanhaiya was produced before the court, after the expiry of his police custody remand, amidst tight security and sloganeering by lawyers inside the court premises.

During the hearing before Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen, only six lawyers representing Kanhaiya were allowed to be inside the court room along with a JNU professor and five journalists.

Kanhaiya was attacked by a group of persons when he was being escorted by police from the vehicle to the court room during which even the cops with him were beaten up.

During the hearing, which commenced at 3 pm, advocates Vrinda Grover and Sushil Bajaj, who appeared for Kanhaiya, told the magistrate that despite the Supreme Court direction, the police has failed to maintain the law and order as their client was assaulted inside court premises and even outside the door of the court room by the person.

The lawyers claimed that despite Kanhaiya asking the police officials to apprehend the person, who was trying to assault him near the gate of the court room, the police allowed that person to go scot free.

During the hearing, the investigating officers moved the application requesting the court to send Kanhaiya to judicial custody, saying he was not required for any custodial interrogation.

The court allowed the plea and remanded Kanhaiya to judicial custody till March 2. 

During the hearing, Kanhaiya's counsel apprised the Magistrate that the Supreme Court has appointed some senior advocates as court commissioners and they are on their way to Patiala House court.

The six member team of lawyers comprised Kapil Sibal, Rajeev Dhavan, Dushyant Dave, ADN Rao, Ajit Sinha and Harin Raval.

At around 3.25 pm, the team of SC-appointed commissioners came in the court and asked Kanhaiya and their counsel as to what has happened with the accused in the court premises today.

Initially, advocate Vrinda Grover briefed them about the assault and later on the commissioners asked Kanhaiya about the incident.

The commissioners then called DCP Narwal and asked him to explain about the failure of law and order despite the Supreme Court directive.

Narwal, however, told them that when the mob attacked Kanhaiya, even police personnel were beaten up and one of the cops was attacked with blade by those persons.

After 1.30 pm a group of men dressed as lawyers were shouting slogans and also tried to manhandle 3-4 persons during which the police intervened and escorted them out safely. 

Openly defying the Supreme Court order, the group of men in lawyers' robes again attacked mediapersons and chanted slogans like "Vande Mataram" and waved the tri-colour.

Among the group of men was lawyer Vikram Chauhan and some others who had allegedly attacked journalists, teachers and students of JNU inside and outside the court two days back.

The team of senior advocates, after taking stock of the situation at Patiala House Court, informed the apex court that there is serious threat to safety of Kanhaiya who was beaten and pushed by unknown persons in the court.

After this the apex court directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure safety of Kanhaiya and others who attended the proceedings in the court today.

Meanwhile, as per a report in The Times of India, senior lawyer Rajiv Dhawan told the court."We were abused and called agents of Pakistan."

"We would have been beaten up black and blue by lawyers if security cover would not have been given to us. Flower pot, pebbles and sand were thrown at us by lawyers who abused us and called agents of Pakistan," he was quoted as saying to the bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar by the Daily.

(With PTI inputs)