Delhi Police 'taking revenge' against Jamia students: President Kovind asked to act

Counterview Desk
In a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention in recent arrests of several student activists of Jamia Millia Islamia, 140 plus signatories from diverse groups, including academicians, students, alumni and activists from India and abroad, have said that this is being done “with the ill will of the police authorities and is clearly a violation of basic legal norms.”

The letter says, the arrest of Jamia students by the Delhi police is being carried out “with the intention to take revenge”, adding, “They wanted to silence the voices that are being raised against their arbitrariness. This is visible from their action that during this global pandemic also they are arresting scholars of a 100 years old university.”

Text:

We, as concerned citizens are deeply disturbed by the recent state of affairs by the Delhi Police.
Jamia Millia Islamia as an institution is a complainant in the case against the Delhi Police. In which it has been alleged that Delhi police entered the university premises without their sanction and vandalized the university library.
Furthermore, they have beaten the university security guard for entering the campus and innocent students studying in the university library and reading hall, of which several were brutally assaulted and one of them lost his eye. This complaint was filed by the university officials after the pressure created by the students (two of them got recently arrested and were booked under the Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act).
However, the Delhi Police denied all these charges and submitted to the court that they entered the library to protect the students sitting in the library. The fact of the matter is that there is no FIR against the police personnel till now and the above-stated matter is also for the registration of the FIR.
This brings out that if any security agency is at fault then it is difficult to register an FIR against them. But it is evident from the leaked CCTV footage of the university library that the brutality of the Delhi Police was extremely harsh and no state will treat their students like this.
Why all this is narrated to you when everyone is aware of the police brutality that happened on the December 15, 2019? Interestingly, 2019 was the centenary year of the martyrdom of Jallianawala Bagh. All this is narrated to you because when the police brutality took place against the students of Jamia, the whole nation stood up for their cause so that they should get justice.
But the recent arrest of the Jamia student is done with the ill will of the police authorities and is clearly a violation of the basic legal norm i.e., Nemo Judex in Causa Sua, means, "no-one is a judge in his own cause." The action took place after the district court asked the Delhi Police what action you had taken on the incident of December 15.

They wanted to silence the voices that are being raised against arbitrariness. This is visible from their action that during global pandemic

This raises a question on the criminal justice system of the civilized state, that do we ask the murderer before registering an FIR against him: ‘Hey murderer (alleged) do we register an FIR against you because you have been alleged as an accused in the murder case’? What do you think, how will he respond? His response will not be self-incriminating but he might give excuses for doing the murder.
In the legal process, the case of the prosecution is heard first, then comes the defense, but in the case of Jamia, Delhi Police is getting all the right to defend themselves and they are also tampering with the evidence because they are roaming free and have the authority to do whatever they want (by putting the students of Jamia in jail as they are a prime witness in the said case).
Therefore, any arrest of the students of Jamia or any other university by the Delhi Police is with the intention to take revenge. They wanted to silence the voices that are being raised against their arbitrariness. This is visible from their action that during this global pandemic also they are arresting the scholars of a 100 years old university.
So, if the arresting of victims of December 15 is possible in this situation of pandemic then to safeguard the criminal justice system the investigation should also start against the accused of December 15.
Likewise, the situation that broke in the Northeast part of Delhi, there are a series of news reports that indicate inaction by the police authorities. This calls for an independent inquiry into the matter. However, with a spree of arrests taking place, in some cases on vague grounds, it becomes essential for your office to intervene.
We urge you to look into this matter and help justice prevail.
---
Click HERE for signatories

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