JNU Sedition: Delhi Police’s Charge Sheet Not Accepted by Court

The Patiala House court asked Delhi Police to procure the requisite sanctions from the government by 6 February.

After refusing to accept Delhi Police’s charge sheet in the 2016 Jawaharlal Nehru University sedition case on Saturday, 19 January, the Patiala House court asked it to procure the requisite sanctions from the Delhi government by 6 February, when it will hear the matter next.

Days after the Delhi Police filed the charge sheet naming Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and seven Kashmiri students, the court asked why the charge sheet was filed without procuring the requisite sanctions from the Delhi government under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Taking permission is a mandatory requirement in sedition cases.

“Why did you file (the charge sheet) without approval? You don’t have a legal department.”

Patiala House Court