Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury are among nine people who have been booked on sedition charges in connection with the JNU row, police said on Sunday.

An FIR has been registered against Rahul, Kejriwal, Yechury, Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Ajay Maken, CPI leader D Raja, JD(U) Spokesperson KC Tyagi, JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and JNU research scholar Umar Khalid on the order of a court here, based on a complaint filed by lawyer Janardhan Goud.

“It is a court referred case related to JNU, Delhi. Based on the directive of the court, a case has been registered yesterday against nine people, including Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Sitaram Yechury, JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and others on charges of sedition under Section 124(A) of IPC,” DCP, lB Nagar, Tafseer Iqubal, said.

“It may be forwarded to the concerned police station in Delhi. We are in the process of taking legal opinion with regard to the jurisdiction,” he said. The court has posted the matter for hearing on March 4.

In his petition, Goud said Rahul and other leaders, despite being aware that Delhi Police had registered a case against Kanhaiya on charge of sedition had visited JNU campus and knowingly supported them and hence it “amounted to sedition”.

In his petition, Goud said he has every right to question those who are indulging in “anti-national activities and also those who are encouraging anti-nationals in the name of solidarity for those who are facing criminal charges under section 124(A) of IPC.”

In Delhi, the Congress reacted sharply to the development, acccusing BJP & allies of wanting to “suppress every voice that speaks against their repressive anti-dalit & poor policies.