HC judge Pratibha Rani shifts pleas against bail to JNU Kanhaiya Kumar

NEW DELHI: Justice Pratibha Rani conditional bail to JNUSUP Kanhaiya Kumar had started a debate, on Wednesday transferred out petitions seeking to reject Kumar ' s bail, following a sharp exchange of words with one of the advocate. The application will be taken up by a different bench of the High Court after the chief justice symbol it to another judge. Rani ' s decision followed objections raised by advocate R P Luthra to her caution that petitioners challenging the bail granted to Kumar should be ready to have their writs cancelled with cost if these were found frivolous or without merit. Before hearing the application, Justice Rani investigated about the presence of applicants in the courtroom and told them to be ready for the consequences if their pleas are rejected with costs. "Be ready. If I will dismiss the pleas, I might dismiss it with cost. That is why I asked if the petitioners are here," the judge said. Interestingly, the lawyer had attempted to address the court even during the hearings on Kanhaiya ' s bail plea earlier but Justice Rani didn ' t entertain him, saying if she required any assistance she would let him know. One of the pleas said the speech and slogans raised by Kanhaiya and his associates were nothing but "challenging the sovereignty and integrity of the nation and, therefore, a clear violation of the conditions of the bail." The petitioner claimed Kanhaiya had even made derogatory remarks against the Indian Army after his release on March 3.