GBU Student Served Rs 5 Lakh Bond Notice Over CJP Protest, Police Later Withdraw It
A second-year law student of Gautam Buddha University (GBU) was served a notice seeking a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh after police alleged that he encouraged fellow students to participate in a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The notice was subsequently withdrawn after police reviewed the allegations.
The notice issued to Akshat Tripathi on September 4 by the Greater Noida Executive Magistrate required him to explain why he should not be directed to execute a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh, along with two sureties of an equal amount, to maintain peace for six months.
The proceedings were initiated under Sections 126 and 135 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), while the formal notice was issued under Section 130. Such proceedings are preventive in nature and do not by themselves amount to a finding of guilt or punishment.
According to the police report cited in the proceedings, Tripathi was allegedly encouraging GBU students to join a CJP protest and circulating what police described as “anti-government” and misleading information. Authorities claimed that his alleged activities had created tension on the university campus and could potentially lead to a confrontation or disturbance of public order.
Tripathi denied the allegations. He said he had attended the Jantar Mantar demonstration peacefully and was not attending classes at GBU when the alleged activities were said to have taken place.
The student told reporters that he had been away from the university since May 25 during a semester break and was in Prayagraj at the time. He also claimed that he was present at the July 20 CJP protest in Delhi, where he was allegedly injured during police action as demonstrators marched towards Parliament.
The police subsequently reviewed the allegations and cancelled the notice. According to the latest police clarification, an inquiry found that the information forming the basis of the initial report was false, following which the proceedings were dropped and no further action was taken against Tripathi.
The development came shortly after a significant Supreme Court ruling concerning the CJP protests. On September 1, the Supreme Court quashed FIRs registered against participants in the July 20-25 protests, with an exception for individuals having criminal antecedents, according to reports on the ruling.
The notice nevertheless triggered criticism from the Students' Federation of India (SFI), which described the action as “repressive” and criticised the Uttar Pradesh government and police.
CJP co-convenor Saurav Das also questioned the notice in a post on X, referring to the Supreme Court’s September 1 order and arguing that protesters covered by the ruling should not face legal action merely for participating in the demonstrations.
The controversy has since shifted from the alleged student mobilisation to questions over the basis on which the initial police report was prepared. While the notice has been revoked, Tripathi has continued to dispute the allegations made against him. Reports also indicate that he said he had not initially received a formal communication regarding the withdrawal of the September 4 notice.
with inputs from PTI
