Delhi HC: Jamia violence cases transferred to another bench

The Delhi High Court’s Chief Justice-led bench delegated a number of petitions on Friday concerning the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University on December 15, 2019, to another bench.

Friday saw the transfer of all the alleged Jamia violence cases to another bench presided over by Justice Siddharth Mridul by the Delhi Chief Justice Satish Chander Sharma’s bench, which also included Justice Subramonium Prasad. After noting that the Justice Siddharth Mridul-led Bench is already reviewing a number of petitions pertaining to violence in North East Delhi, the bench transferred the relevant proceedings. The issues will now be discussed on November 28, 2022.

The Additional Solicitor General who is handling the cases was also not available on Friday, according to a lawyer for Delhi Police who appeared in court.

In this case, Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves represented the petitioner side, and Senior Advocate Rajat Nair represented the Centre Government (Delhi Police).

After the petitioner’s attorney informed the Supreme Court that the case had been waiting before the Delhi High Court for years, the Supreme Court requested last week that the Delhi High Court schedule an early hearing for the plea.

A number of petitions were being heard by the high court, one of which was brought by attorney Nabila Hasan on behalf of clients Sneha Mukherjee and Siddharth Seem to demand that police officers be held accountable for the Jamia violence.

The petitioners accused the authorities of deploying undue physical force and violence on peaceful, unarmed students.

The employment of “extreme” methods against the protestors, including rubber bullets, explosives made of chilli peppers, and tear gas shells, was also questioned by the petition.

On December 15, 2019, a demonstration against the new citizenship law took place close to the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia University. Several protesters and police officers were hurt. During the protest, some public transportation was set on fire and other public properties were harmed.

The Delhi Police personnel are being sued by the petitioner in the Delhi High Court for allegedly attacking Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University students on December 15, 2019.