BBC docu case: DU moves HC against relief to Congress student leader

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and comprising Justice Najmi Waziri on Friday issued notice to Lokesh Chugh, a Ph.D scholar and NSUI national secretary.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi University (DU) on Friday moved the Delhi High Court against a single-judge order directing it to reinstate a Congress student leader who was barred for his alleged involvement in the screening of a banned BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the campus.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and comprising Justice Najmi Waziri on Friday issued notice to Lokesh Chugh, a Ph.D scholar and NSUI national secretary. On April 27, 2023, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav had set aside the DU’s order barring Chugh and allowed him to continue his PhD at the University.

 He was barred for a year from taking examinations for his alleged role in screening of a banned BBC documentary- India: The Modi Question- related to the 2002 Godhra riots which was critical of PM Narendra Modi who was then Gujarat Chief Minister.

Against Justice Kaurav’s order, now the varsity knocked the high court with its appeal that the previous order ‘is bad and does not appreciate the fact that Chugh was present at the spot where the documentary was being screened despite imposition of Section 144 CrPC.’

“It is also submitted that the from the video footage it is also clear that the students were using placards/posters and thus it is apparent that the protest was pre-meditated and pre-planned. Flyers/posters regarding the protest were circulated through WhatsApp from which it is apparent that the Respondent No. 1 was instrumental in spear-heading the screening of the BBC Documentary,” DU argued.

The reply had said after watching the videos, 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 earlier plea had said, he was “running from pillar to post in an attempt to submit his Ph.D. thesis” but there was no response from Delhi University.

Back in the court

•  DU had charged Lokesh Chugh, a PhD scholar and national secretary of NSUI of being involved in screening of a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots in the campus
•  Centre had issued directions for blocking multiple YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the BBC documentary, which was described by MEA as a “propaganda piece”
•  DU registrar issued a memorandum to Chugh in March under which he was not allowed to take part in any university or college or departmental examination for one year
•  On April 27, a single judge bench of Delhi High Court set aside the decision taken by DU, observing that it was taken in violation of the principle of natural justice

Delhi HC to hear the matter on Sep 14