Delhi University (DU) approached the Delhi High Court today, Friday, July 14, against an order setting aside the debarring of a National Students' Union of India (NSUI) leader for a year. The student was accused by the varsity of alleged involvement in the screening of the controversial BBC documentary on PM Modi on the campus in January this year.
Lokesh Chugh, a PhD scholar at DU and National Secretary of NSUI had earlier contested his debarment. On April 27, he received an order in his favour by a single-judge bench of the HC. However, after the varsity challenged this order, a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Najmi Waziri issued a notice to Chugh once again, as per a report by PTI.
What had happened?
In March, the DU registrar had issued Chugh a memorandum barring him from taking part in "any university or college or departmental examination for one year". DU had informed the single judge bench that the NSUI leader indulged in "gross indiscipline" which tarnished the image of a premier educational institution.
In its reply petition, the university had stated that several persons, including the petitioner, assembled on the campus to screen the documentary in violation of Section 144 (Issuance of prohibitory orders) of the Code of Criminal Procedure imposed by the Delhi police. The document further mentioned that a committee constituted after the incident "found that the mastermind of the agitation was the petitioner" and he was seen "actively being part of the unlawful assembly".
Chugh, in his defence, had denied the charges. The matter would be heard next on September 14, as per PTI.
