Noida, Sep 8 (PTI) A Gautam Buddha University (GBU) student was issued a notice asking him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh as a preventive measure to ensure that he maintained peace, after police alleged that he encouraged other students to join the recent CJP-led protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, officials said on Tuesday.
A “peace-bond notice” is not a punishment or a declaration that a person is guilty. It is a preventive step under which authorities can require a person to give a financial undertaking that they will maintain peace and avoid activities that could lead to a disturbance. The notice issued to the student was later revoked, police said.
The student, Akshat Tripathi, however, denied the allegations and said he had participated in the protest peacefully and was not attending university classes at the time.
The notice was issued on September 4 by the Office of the Executive Magistrate, Third, Greater Noida Commissionerate, under Section 130 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), following proceedings initiated under sections 126 and 135 by the assistant commissioner of police.
The notice said there were grounds to believe that Tripathi was encouraging university students to join a protest proposed by the “CJP party” (Cockroach Janata Party) and was spreading information which police described as “anti-government and misleading”.
According to the notice, such activities could spark tensions and or disturb public order.
Tripathi was issued a show-cause notice asking why he should not be ordered to maintain peace for six months by furnishing a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh and sureties of an equal amount from two local solvent persons. A hearing was scheduled for September 5.
According to the police report submitted by sub-inspector Shiva Pandey of Ecotech-1 police station and forwarded by the station house officer, Tripathi, originally from Jhunsi in Prayagraj and currently residing in the Ecotech-1 area, is a student of GBU.
The report alleged that Tripathi was encouraging university students to participate in the CJP protest and was circulating misleading and anti-government narratives.
Police claimed his activities had created a tense atmosphere on the university campus and raised the possibility of altercations and breach of public order.
However, police at the Ecotech police station said on Tuesday that the notice was revoked on September 4 after the matter came to their attention and the concerned authorities were informed accordingly.
In a video circulated on social media, Tripathi rejected the allegations and said he had participated in the protest peacefully. He claimed he was not attending university classes at the time as the institution had been closed for nearly three months.
Tripathi also claimed that he was injured in the Delhi Police action when protesters marched towards Parliament on July 20.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) condemned the action against Tripathi, describing it as “repressive”, and criticised the Uttar Pradesh government and police.
Reacting to the matter on X, CJP co-convenor Saurav Das said, “Has the DM Gautam Buddh Nagar (Medha Roopam) not read the historic September 1 order of the Supreme Court? All protesters have a permanent blanket immunity from any legal action for their participation in CJP protests. Akshay Tripathi need not execute bail bond of Rs 5 lakh.” “We have asked the Union government to immediately act accordingly and send a copy of the judgment to the learned DM. We will not allow any student to be targeted,” Das said in the post. PTI COR KIS ARB ARB
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