Delhi HC directs JNU to provide evidence & CCTV footage of Jan 5 violence to Delhi Police

The Delhi High Court has issued directives to JNU administration with regards to the vandalization of the university's central server room in the lead-up to the shocking on-campus violence on the evening of January 5. The High Court in its directives has also asked the JNU chief security officer to provide evidence of the violence that ensued in the University campus to Delhi Police and has also ordered JNU administration to make CCTV footage available as soon as possible to the police in order to facilitate the ongoing probe. 

The High Court has also directed Delhi Police to summon the witnesses and seize mobile phones of the members of the two WhatsApp groups - 'Friends of RSS' and 'Unity against Left'.

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Notices issued to Whatsapp, Google and Apple

The High Court's orders have come at the behest of Delhi Police which had informed the court about asking JNU administration to preserve and hand over CCTV footage of the violence. 

On Monday, the Delhi High Court had also issued notices to WhatsApp, Google and Apple, as well as the Police and Delhi Government, over a petition seeking to preserve data related to the January 5 violence in JNU. Advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi Police had said that intermediaries, such as WhatsApp, would take months to respond to police letters but an order from the court would fasten the process.

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The petitioners alleged that the JNU violence was preplanned assault and that there was a large, organized mob behind it. As per the petitioners, such an attack would not have been possible without advance planning, since a large number of people who appear to be outsiders entered the university. They also alleged that WhatsApp was used to create various groups for the purpose of mobilizing people and to incite hate and violence against the students, staff and teachers at JNU.

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