AAP's Raghav Chadha says, Delhi govt never stopped persecution sanction of Kanhaiya Kumar

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Spokesperson Raghav Chadha on Friday stated that the Delhi government has not halted the prosecution sanction of anybody in the last five years.

Raghav Chadha was referring to the assent given by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government, to try the 2016 sedition case against CPI(M) leader Kanhaiya Kumar. The case to prosecute Kanhaiya Kumar had been long-pending for the Government's sanction for over a year. 

"The law dept of Delhi government, after conducting due diligence in the matter, has given its opinion to the Home Dept of Delhi government and given its clearance for the trial of Kanhaiya Kumar. 

As a matter of principle and policy, the Delhi government has not stopped any prosecution sanction of anybody in the last five years," the AAP leader said. 

READ | JNU Sedition Case: Kanhaiya Kumar To Face Trial From April 3 After Delhi Govt Gives Nod

Raghav Chadha also said that cases against AAP MLAs have been carried out as per the regular judicial process, without any intervention of the Delhi government, adding that the decision to persecute any accused is the authority of the judiciary and not the government.

"All the cases on AAP MLAs were filed, and the regular process of law was followed by courts. Some of the cases are still pending in the courts, and most of the cases have been washed by the courts.

We fundamentally believe that the government is not the authority that should be deciding on the merits of these matters. It is the function of the court and the judiciary to ultimately decide on these matters," Raghav Chadha added. 

READ | Delhi CM Kejriwal To Seek "early Decision" On Kanhaiya Kumar's JNU Sedition Case

Kanhaiya Kumar to face trial after Delhi Government gives a nod

In a massive development, the Delhi government on Friday has given its assent to the Delhi police to try CPI(M) leader Kanhaiya Kumar for the 2016 sedition case, as per sources. DCP Pramod Kushwaha has confirmed that the police have been given the nod by the Kejriwal government. The trial is set to hear from April 3 by a Delhi court. Kumar, the then-JNUSU president was charged for raising seditious slogans in the JNU campus.

Earlier on February 20, the Delhi Police requested the Delhi Government to give clearance so that they could take further action on Kumar's sedition case. In a letter to the Delhi Home Secretary, the police requested the government to provide sanction so that they could prosecute him and others in the 2016 JNU Sedition case. Kumar is currently holding public rallies against CAA-NRC-NPR in Bihar.

READ | "He's A Bihar Boy": Prashant Kishor's Interesting Take On Kanhaiya Kumar

Sedition case against Kanhaiya Kumar

The Delhi police charged Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, and Anirban Bhattacharya for raising 'anti-national slogans' during an event organized in the JNU campus in February 2016. This event had allegedly been organized to mark the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. After being arrested on 12 February, Kumar was granted bail for six months on March 2, 2016. 

The police claimed that there were videos wherein Kanhaiya Kumar was seen leading a group of students, allegedly raising slogans like 'Bharat tere tukde honge, Insha Allah Insha Allah'. 

READ | Delhi Police Asks New Kejriwal Govt To Allow It To Prosecute Kanhaiya; CM Throws Hands Up