HC notice to Delhi govt, Centre, cops on plea by injured Jamia student

NEWDELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, the Delhi government and the police on a petition filed by a Jamia Milia Islamia University student, seeking compensation for injuries allegedly inflicted by police during a crackdown on anti-citizenship (Amendment) Act protesters in December 15 last year.

Before issuing the notice, a bench of chief justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said the petitioner ought to have filed a civil suit if he was seeking compensation because his would have to be proved through evidence, which cannot be done in a writ petition.

“These are matters of evidence. Why are you not filing a suit for damages? On the basis of annexures in a writ, claims cannot be proved,” the court said.

However, it later issued notice to the ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the varsity among other authorities on the plea of the student, who said both his legs were fractured in the “brutal violence carried out” by security personnel. MHA has to file its reply by May 27.

In his plea filed through advocate Nabila Hasan, Shayaan Mujeeb said he was in the university library on December 15, 2019 studying, when police entered the building and allegedly beat up students there.

Hasan told the bench that CCTV footage shows police entering the library and beating up students. She said a compensation of ₹2 crore should be given for the injuries suffered and an FIR be registered in the matter.

Mujeeb also sought a reimbursement of ₹2 lakh, claiming he spent the amount on the treatment of his broken legs, in one of which a rod had to be inserted due to the severity of the fracture.

On December 15 last year, a protest against the CAA near Jamia turned violent.