JNU students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya get interim bail for 6 months

JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, arrested in a sedition case almost a month ago, were today granted interim bail for six months by a Delhi court. Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh granted the relief to the two accused on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 25,000 each with one surety of the like amount.

“I am granting them interim bail for six months,” the judge said, adding that the duo will not leave the country without its prior permission. Umar and Anirban, who are lodged in jail since February 23, had sought bail on the ground of parity with JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, saying he has already been granted bail and the incident did not attract charges of sedition.

The two had surrendered to the police on the intervening night of February 23-24.

Kanhaiya was granted interim bail for six months by a Delhi High Court on March 2.

The police had arrested Umar and Anirban for allegedly organising the controversial event at JNU on February 9.

The duo had returned to the JNU campus on February 21 after going missing since February 12.

Delhi Police had issued a look-out notice on February 20 against Umar, Anirban and three other students—Rama Naga, Ashutosh Kumar and Anant Prakash.