‘CCTV Footage With Cops’: JNU Contradicts Claims in Reply to RTIs

Delhi police seized all recordings that were recorded in the JNU from 3 to 5 January, reported ANI.

Media outlets scanned through a sea of viral images to identify the culprits behind the JNU violence that broke out on Sunday.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

In light of a query seeking CCTV footage of the main gate of the campus from 5 January, Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University has presented new responses that has raised more questions to the 48 hours leading to the rampage by the masked goons in the varsity.

In response to an RTI filed by activist Anjali Bhardwaj – dated 17 January – the officials have claimed that copies of the CCTV footage from the North gate, from 3 pm to midnight on 5 January, “is withheld with Law and enforcement agencies for undergoing investigation.”

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

What Did JNU Administration Say Earlier?

However, in response to another query filed by activist Saurav Das on 9 January, the JNU administration said “continuous and entire” CCTV footage of cameras at both North and Main gates on the day of the attack – was unavailable.

The reply to the RTI filed by Saurav Das, a member of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI), under “life and liberty”clause, said the main server of JNU at the Centre for Information System (CIS) was shut down on 3 January and had gone down the next day “due to power supply disruption.”

“None of the CCTV cameras were vandalised from 30 December 2019 to 8 January 2020,” the varsity, in its response to the earlier RTI, said.

To Bhardwaj’s query, the administration said that four CCTV cameras were installed at the entry and exit points, however, to Das’ RTI, the varsity had said, “the details of locations of CCTV cameras cannot be provided due to security reasons and concerns.”

On 27 January, Delhi police seized all recordings that were recorded in the JNU from 3 to 5 January, and deposited it with Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), reported ANI.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch is investigating the case and had released photographs of nine suspects, including JNU Students Union president Aishe Ghosh.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)