DU Challenges HC Order Reinstating NSUI Leader Barred For Documentary Screening

The Delhi University on Friday has filed an appeal with the Delhi High Court challenging a single-judge order that directed the university to reinstate Lokesh Chugh, the National Students’ Union of India national secretary.

Previously, Chugh was barred for allegedly organizing the screening of a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Najmi Waziri, has issued a notice to Chugh in response to the plea.

On April 27, 2023, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav set aside the DU’s order of barring Chugh and allowed him to continue his PhD at the University.

The DU has now approached the division bench, contending that the single-judge order is flawed and fails to acknowledge that Chugh was present at the screening location despite the imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

DU stated in its appeal, “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 Respondent No. 1 was instrumental in spearheading the screening of the BBC Documentary.”

Chugh, a student leader, was banned from participating in any university examination for one year following a protest organized at DU on January 27. It is alleged that during the protest, the banned BBC documentary titled “India: The Modi Question” was publicly screened.

The University maintains that the students screened the banned documentary without permission and organized protests in violation of prohibitory orders, which it considers to be “gross indiscipline.”

The University’s actions against the students were based on newspaper reports indicating that the two-part series was banned in India.