Lekhi also said that the police were constrained to enter the university, and argued that there was no place in India that was beyond the jurisdiction of police
Clarion India
NEW DELHI — During the hearing of petitions in the High Court of Delhi regarding the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia in December last year after students’ protest against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Delhi police on Friday asserted there was no legal requirement of seeking permission from the administration to enter the university campus for controlling the disturbances.
While the petitioners sought an independent investigation in the matter as well as registration of FIRs against cops accused of committing excesses, the police said that there was no question of registration of FIRs against its officers as the law protected acts done under good faith and without any sanction from the government, according to reports.
Additional Solicitor-General of India Aman Lekhi opposed any move to transfer the investigation from the Delhi police and argued that such exercise of jurisdiction was an exception.
Lekhi also submitted before a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan that the police were constrained to enter the university, and argued that there was no place in India that was beyond the jurisdiction of police.
“Unless they are saying Jamia is not part of India, there is is no requirement for the police to seek prior permission,” Lekhi argued, reports Times of India.
According to the report, the court, however, reminded the Solicitor-General to “avoid this kind of exaggeration whether Jamia is a part of India.” The High Court said it only wanted to know why the police did not think it proper to reach out to university administration before entering the campus.
Lekhi maintained there was no such “requirement in law” for the police to seek permission while performing its lawful duty.
The next hearing will be held on October 1.
The violence erupted near the Jamia campus during anti-CAA protest in December when the Delhi police personnel barged into the university campus and forcefully entered the library and reportedly manhandled the students causing injuries to many.
