New Delhi: JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested in a sedition case, was today granted interim conditional bail for six months by the Delhi High Court, which said he will “not participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national”.
The High Court also enjoined on him, as president of JNU students union, that he “will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the campus.”
“Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances, I am inclined to release the petitioner on interim bail for a period of six months,” Justice Pratibha Rani said, while making it clear that the accused will have to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and present himself before the investigators, as and when required.
The judge also considered the family background of Kanhaiya, whose mother is an Anganwadi worker earning a paltry amount of Rs 3000 on which the entire family survives, and ordered that he be released on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and a surety of like amount.
The judge directed that the accused’s surety “should also be either a member of the faculty or a person related to him in a manner that he exercises control on him not only with respect to appearance before the court but also to ensure that his thoughts and energy are channelised in a constructive manner.”
While giving monetary concession for furnishing the bond for release, the high court said Kanhaiya has to “furnish an undertaking to the effect that he will not participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national.”
Kanhaiya was arrested on February 12 on sedition charges in connection with an event on the campus on February 8 where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
