New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- A Greater Noida Executive Magistrate has been suspended by the government after issuing a show-cause notice to Gautam Buddh University student Akshat Tripathi, seeking a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh over his alleged role in campaigning for a protest by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court on Thursday.
The matter was raised before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during proceedings concerning the July student protests. Senior Advocate PV Dinesh, appearing for Tripathi, urged the court to take up his petition and said, "A strong message must go to the officers." The CJI said he had taken a strong view of the notice when it was mentioned before him on Wednesday.
The notice, issued under the BNSS, accused Tripathi of spreading "anti-government misleading talks" among students. It proposed a Rs 5 lakh bond with two sureties of the same amount for six months.
Tripathi's plea, filed through Advocate on Record Subhash Chandran KR, challenges the proceedings under Sections 126, 130 and 135 of the BNSS. It says the notice did not identify any specific statement, act, date or incident involving violence, and that supporting material was not provided.
The plea also says Tripathi was given only one day to appear, arrange sureties and consult a lawyer. It argues that the action violated the Supreme Court's September 1 order quashing FIRs linked to the protests and protecting students from coercive action.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.