New Delhi, January 14: Nearly three years after the alleged anti-national slogans were raised at the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the Delhi Police on Monday filed a chargesheet against 10 accused, including former and current students of the top varsity. Among those chargesheeted include former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, who has called the police action a "ploy" ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Delhi Police also charged former students -- Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya -- for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans during an event organised on JNU campus on February 9, 2016 to commemorate the hanging of Parliament-attack mastermind Afzal Guru. Sedition Row: Shehla Rashid, Aparajita Also Named as Accused 'Without Evidence'

Khalid, who addressed a student gathering at St. Joseph's College in Bangalore on the "role of youth in safeguarding the Constitution", said, "We reject the allegations. The move to file the charge sheet three years after the alleged incident is an attempt to divert the attention (of the people) right before (parliamentary) elections. We will fight it out in court."

Here's the List of All Slogans Allegedly Raised at the JNU Campus on Feb 9, 2016:

  • Bharat ke tere tukde honge, Insha'Allah, Insha'Allah

  • Hum kya chahte Azaadi

  • Hum cheen ke lenge azaadi

  • Manuvaad se azaadi

  • Brahmanvaad se azaadi

  • Punjivaad se azaadi

  • Kashmir maange azaadi

  • Gujarat ke dangaaiyo ko, ek dhakka aur do

  • Indian Army ko do dhakka

  • Bharat ki barbaadi tak, Kashmir ki azaadi tak, hamari ladai jaari rahegi

Apart from Kanhaiya, Khalid and Bhattacharya, others charged in the case are Aquib Hussain, Mujeeb Hussain, Muneeb Hussain, Umar Gul, Rayeea Rassol, Bashir Bhat and Basharat.

As many as 36 others, including Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja's daughter Aprajita, Shehla Rashid (then vice-president of the JNUSU), Rama Naga, Ashutosh Kumar and Banojyotsna Lahiri have been named in column 12 of the charge sheet due to insufficient evidence against them, police sources said.

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) leader Shehla Rashid, who had led the campaign for the release of Kumar and other students, said, "This is a completely bogus case in which ultimately everyone will be acquitted. The timing of the charge sheet right before the elections just reflects how the BJP wants to reap electoral benefits out of this. I was not even on campus on the day of the event."

CPI Leader D Raja said, "It is politically motivated. After three years Delhi police is filing the charge sheet in the case. We will fight it legally in court and politically outside court."

A case was registered on February 11, 2016 under Sections of 124 A (sedition) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC against unknown persons at Vasant Kunj (North) police station following complaints by BJP MP Maheish Girri and the ABVP.

The February 9 event happened despite the varsity administration having cancelled the permission following a complaint by the ABVP, who had termed it as "anti-national".

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 14, 2019 05:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).