Rs 5 Lakh Bond Notice to Student Over CJP Protest Withdrawn, Greater Noida Authorities Tell SC

New Delhi: The Greater Noida executive magistrate on Monday informed the Supreme Court that a notice issued to a student for proposing a Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP) protest in the area has been withdrawn.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, was hearing a petition filed by the student, Akshat Tripathi, to challenge the notice, LiveLaw reported. 

The student’s counsel informed the court that no notification indicating the withdrawal of the notice – which directed the Gautam Buddh University student to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh and two sureties of the same amount – had been received by Tripathi.

The notice had been issued to Tripathi for encouraging others to participate in a CJP protest proposed in the area, LiveLaw reported. Tripathi’s counsel had initially requested a pass-over, but CJI Kant said that the court could quash the notice instead. However, during the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Greater Noida authorities, informed the court that the notice had already been withdrawn, the report said.

The top court then recorded Bhati’s statement in its order:

“Ms Bhati has entered appearance. She states that the notice already stands withdrawn. That being so, it is directed that action if any taken in the past pursuant to the notice stands annulled and consequently, no punitive action will be taken against petitioner,” the court ordered. 

CJI Kant had previously questioned the executive magistrate on how the notice had been issued in the first place despite a Supreme Court directive saying that no coercive action should be taken against protesting students. According to LiveLaw, the court had said that an explanation would be sought from the officer in concern.

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