Jamia student sent notice by special cell, to be interrogated soon

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police Special Cell has summoned Chandan Kumar, a student of Jamia Millia Islamia (JNU), in connection with riots that broke out in Northeast Delhi in February.

A senior officer of the Special Cell confirmed that they had summoned Kumar for questioning.

In their notice under Section 43F — Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the ACP (SIT) Dhram Singh Negi states: “In connection with the case — case FIR no 59/2020 — you are requested to join the investigation on May 13 at 2 pm. If you fail to appear, appropriate legal action will be taken against you. This may be treated as urgent.”

All India Students Association (AISA) in its statement called this a witch hunt.

According to official sources, the Delhi Police is exploring action against several members of the Popular Front of India (PFI), the JCC, Pinjra Tod, All India Students’ Association (AISA) as well as former and current students of Delhi University and JNU under the UAPA Act.

“Chandan wrote to the Delhi Police about his willingness to join the investigation through video conference or any other method that doesn’t put his health and life at risk during the pandemic.

However, the Delhi Police insisted on him coming in physically to the Special Cell headquarters, where COVID-19 had been found. He has not been provided any assistance to travel to the Special Cell office,” said a statement from AISA.

A member of JCC said that about ten people were summoned by the police. “But most of them are home so they could not come,” said the JCC member.

Chandan was hurt on his head in Delhi Police crackdown in Jamia in December. “It was Delhi Police who was the aggressor and not Chandan. Now, in order to hide its own violation of law, the police has summoned Chandan, in the same way that it has arrested, harassed and intimidated peaceful ANTI-CAA-NRC-NPR protestors,” said a statement by AISA.

So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the riots since the lockdown was announced — including Zargar, Haider, former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan, activist Khalid Saifi and Shifa.