Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar has claimed on camera he was beaten up and almost disrobed by lawyers in the presence of police personnel at the Patiala House Court premises on February 17.
The claim was in a video shot by the Supreme Court appointed team that visited Patalia house court to report on the violence there.
In the video exclusively accessed by CNN-IBN, Kanhaiya told the SC team that the police did not arrest the attackers even after he had identified one of them inside the courtroom.
Narrating the sequence of events, an emotional Kanhaiya told the SC panel: "The police brought me inside. And then a man in a lawyer's uniform attacked me, it looked like he was waiting for the moment, sitting in anticipation. The attackers were calling others to join them, shouting, 'he's arrived'. They were all attacking me, so much so that I was almost disrobed in the process."
He said he told the police that he wanted to lodge a complaint against the attackers but nothing happened.
"There was this one man who runs into the adjacent room, and seats himself at the back of the room. I point towards him, and tell them that this was the man who was attacking me. The policemen go over to him and for his identity, but he countered them, asking for their I cards instead. The police did nothing to him, " he added.
He said seven policemen accompanying him were attacked as well.
This is the first statement on camera by Kanhaiya since the Patiala House court violence.
The alleged assault on Kanhaiya, JNU students and mediapersons by a group of lawyers happened when he was being presented in court..
Following the incident, Supreme Court formed a team of five lawyers to submit a report on the law and order breakdown at the court which also witnessed a brawl between two groups of lawyers.
Kanhaiya's lawyer Vrinda Grover and his faculty member Professor Himanshu also presented their version of events to the Supreme Court team.
"One man comes out, he is wearing dark glasses and a coat that is not the lawyer's court. He is asked his name, but he says, 'Why should I tell you what my name is!' And he walks past. Nobody stops him. How did that man come in through security and how did he exit?" asked Vrinda.
Backing Kanhaiya's claim of police inaction, the professor said, "Kanhaiya was pointing out that this was the man beating me, arrest him. But all three High Court officials allowed him to go. I was shouting at them to stop him, but they allowed him to go."
While speaking to the Supreme Court team the police officers gave contradictory versions. While one officer said that he rushed to protect him, the other claimed that he had no knowledge about the attack.
"I rushed immediately. I didn't know they were the attackers. The attacker came with the escort party. He entered that room from the gate," said New Delhi DCP Jatin Narwal, who was in-charge of Kanhaiya's security.
Tilak Marg SHO Sushil Kumar, however, said he did not know about any attack. "I do not know anything about it.
In an attempt to come out clean of the controversy, Vasant Kunj SHO Virender Jain said, "We did not know how the attacker entered the room, we were with the accused. That person claimed to be the lawyer of the accused. I don't know how or when the attack took place as I was inside," said Kumar.
Delhi Police have come under fire over its inaction at the Patiala House court and are now seen as passing the buck.
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