JNU row: Police files FIR based on TV channel video

Amid mounting outrage over the Jawaharlal Nehru University row, it has emerged now that student leader Kanhaiya Kumar was slapped with sedition charge based on a video clip of the controversial event at the university aired by a Hindi news channel.

According to the first information report, the police slapped the case of sedition against Kumar on February 11 after obtaining the video clip of the event, held two days earlier, from the channel, though, policemen were also present at the event.

The police had arrested Kumar on February 12, accusing him of making anti-India remarks at the event organised by a Leftist students' union to protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. However, students of the university have been maintaining that Kumar never raised such objectionable slogans.

The FIR was registered based on the video clip obtained from the channel's office on February 11. The FIR said that after receiving information from the JNU about possible trouble at the event, three constables were sent in civil clothes there. There were some policemen in uniform too.

In the later stages of investigation, the police acquired two more video clips.

The footage was broadcast on February 10 evening, following which the police sent a letter to the channel's editor and obtained the video clip in a CD the next day.

According to the FIR, the video showed that students raised pro-Pakistan slogans at the event. It said around 80-90 students were present at the event.

The FIR said that the police also obtained from the university authorities the posters of the event one of which said "...collective conscience against the judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, in solidarity with the valiant people of Kashmir."

In the statement attached with the FIR, the police said that they have identified 10 students, which include Umar Khalid. However, Kumar's name did not figure in it, the statement revealed.

On the evening of February 11, the police sent a letter to the JNU authorities, communicating that they were looking for six students including Kumar. The next day, he was arrested.