JNU row: Rahul Gandhi , Arvind Kejriwal booked under sedition charges

New Delhi, Feb 29: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi could be in trouble soon. Reportedly he has been booked under sedition charges in connection with the JNU row.

Along with Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury have also been charged under the same.

Case was registered on a complaint filed by lawyer Janardhan Goud.

Police said that an FIR has been registered against Rahul, Kejriwal, Yechury, Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Ajay Maken, CPI leader D Raja, JD(U) Spokesperson KC Tyagi, JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and JNU research scholar Umar Khalid on the order of a court here.

"It is a court referred case related to JNU, Dedlhi. Based on the directive of the court, a case has been registered yesterday against nine persons, including Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Sitaram Yechury, JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and others on charges of sedition under Section 124(A) of IPC," DCP, LB Nagar, Tafseer Iqubal, said.

"It may be forwarded to the concerned police station in Delhi. We are in the process of taking legal opinion with regard to the jurisdiction," he said. The court has posted the matter for hearing on March 4.

In his petition, Goud said Rahul and other leaders, despite being aware that Delhi Police had registered a case against Kanhaiya on charge of sedition had visited JNU campus and knowingly supported them and hence it "amounted to sedition".

Kanhaiya and Khalid, who have earlier been arrested in Delhi on sedition charge, have also been booked here on the same charge.

Goud had filed a complaint in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate here on Thursday, seeking its direction to police for registration of a case against Kanhaiya and Khalid for allegedly raising anti-India and pro-Afzal Guru slogans on JNU campus and others.

In his petition, Goud said he has every right to question those who are indulging in "anti-national activities and also those who are encouraging anti-nationals in the name of solidarity for those who are facing criminal charges under section 124(A) of IPC."

In Delhi, Congress reacted sharply to the development, accusing BJP & allies of wanting to "suppress every voice that speaks against their repressive anti-dalit & poor policies.

"From Rohit Vemula to Rahul Gandhi, everyone who raises an opinion against suppression of opinion by Modi government is branded as anti-national," Randeep Surjewala, chief spokesperson of the party, said.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from PTI)