New Delhi, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday said it was a shame that two ex-TISS students were denied anticipatory bail by a court and claimed that it showed the government’s intolerance as well as the state of the judiciary.
What Happened
The Court granted anticipatory bail to seven other students — Uttkarsh Khuntia, Yash Kaundilya, Avantika, Ishpreet Kaur, Nikita Monica D’Souza, Hardika Bhagat and Satyam Yadav. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday (August 10, 2026) said it was a shame that two ex-TISS students were denied anticipatory bail by a court and claimed that it showed the government’s intolerance as well as the state of the judiciary.
“What does this tell you about: 1) Government’s level of intolerance; 2) The police; 3) State of the judiciary?” the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said. Das and Paul allegedly deleted certain information from their devices, and Das also allegedly threatened a police officer that he would be removed from service, the court said. The act, coupled with the material found with them, “certainly raises doubt about their conduct”, the judge remarked in separate orders denying relief to the two former TISS students.
Investigation and Response
A court in Mumbai on Friday denied anticipatory bail to two former students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences who are facing criminal cases for holding an unauthorised campus gathering to pay homage to former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba, and raising slogans seeking release of undertrial prisoners Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. A court in Mumbai on Friday (August 7) denied anticipatory bail to two former students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) who are facing criminal cases for holding an unauthorised campus gathering to pay homage to former Delhi University professor G.N. Additional Sessions Judge V B Bohra granted pre-arrest bail to seven other students. Saibaba, and raising slogans seeking release of undertrial prisoners Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Additional Sessions Judge V.B. Bohra granted pre-arrest bail to seven other students.
The court stated that while paying homage to Saibaba, who was acquitted by the Bombay High Court in a Naxalism-related case before his death, was not illegal, shouting slogans in support of undertrials booked in a UA case in an educational institute “raises doubts” about the conduct of the accused Kamakhya Das and Abhirup Paul . The act, coupled with the material found with them, “certainly raises doubt about their conduct”, the judge remarked in separate orders denying relief to the two former TISS students. Their custodial interrogation was not required as they had cooperated with the investigation, the court said.
