Supreme Court dumps Jamia rioters’ plaint, asks petitioners to go to HC
18 Dec 2019
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to hear petitions filed by students of Jamia Milia Islamia and the Aligarh Muslim University over police action against a violent mob of rioting students and outside groups protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act and directed then to approach the respective high courts first.
A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, which commenced hearing on pleas, including that of Alumni Association Jamia Millia Islamia University, also asked advocates of the petitioners to explain as to how buses were burnt during the protests.
“Having regard to the nature of the matter and dispute, and the vast area over which the matter is spread, we do not think it is feasible to appoint one committee for this. The High Courts can be approached where the incidents have taken place,” the bench said. “High Courts have the liberty to appointed retired judges for the purposes of inquiry after hearing the union and the state government.”
The Supreme Court is “not a trial court”, the bench had said at the beginning, expressing its disinclination to hear the petitions.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing the students, said that the students had been violently attacked. She added that the police had gone into the university campus without the requisite permissions.
“What are the officers supposed to do if the students behave like this? Won’t FIRs be filed if students pelt stones?” CJI Bobde said in response.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said no students had been arrested. He added that police officers also received injuries.
Soon after the hearing concluded, Jamia Millia Islamia proctor Waseem Khan issued a statement saying that the SG’s remark about the chief proctor admitting the police into campus was false.
