Delhi Police has initiated legal action by filing a Non-Cognizable Report (NCR) following a formal complaint from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration regarding alleged objectionable slogans raised during a student event. The move comes a day after the university urged police to register an FIR into the incident.
Police Action and Legal Framework
On Wednesday, January 8, 2026, the Delhi Police filed the NCR at the Vasant Kunj North police station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel confirmed the development, stating the complaint from the JNU Chief Security Officer was received on January 6, concerning the event held on January 5.
The police action was taken after seeking legal opinion. The NCR has been filed under sections 352 and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 352 pertains to intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, while Section 353 deals with statements conducting to public mischief.
It is crucial to note that an NCR is registered for non-cognizable offenses. In such cases, the police require permission from a magistrate before they can arrest any accused individual, unlike a First Information Report (FIR) for cognizable offenses.
University Complaint and Event Details
The JNU administration's complaint stemmed from an event organized on the evening of Monday, January 5. The university alleged that "highly objectionable, provocative, and inflammatory slogans" were raised during this gathering. The event was reportedly organized by students associated with the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU).
According to the university, the gathering was "ostensibly to observe the sixth anniversary of the violence that occurred in JNU on 5 January 2020". However, the complaint stated that slogans related to the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam—former JNU students and accused in a larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots—were raised. The Supreme Court had refused bail to both individuals on that same Monday.
In its complaint, the JNU administration identified nine students by name. This list included four current office-bearers of the JNUSU. A purported video from the event circulated online, appearing to show students chanting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Background and Context of January 5
The date January 5 holds significant and painful memories for the JNU community. On January 5, 2020, masked individuals unleashed violence on the JNU campus, attacking students and teachers weeks before the major Delhi riots of February 2020.
In that attack, then JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh was seriously injured. The anniversary of this event has since been a point of remembrance and often protest on campus, with this year's observance now becoming the center of a fresh legal and administrative controversy.
Implications and Next Steps
The filing of the NCR marks the formal entry of the police into the matter, though it falls short of the FIR initially sought by the university authorities. The situation highlights the ongoing tensions between the university administration and sections of the student body.
The police will now proceed based on the procedures for a non-cognizable offense, which includes further investigation and the necessity to approach a magistrate for any coercive action. The identified students and the JNUSU are likely to be at the focus of this probe.
This development adds another chapter to the long history of political and ideological debates that frequently play out on the JNU campus, often spilling over into legal and administrative realms. The response from the student unions and the progression of the police investigation will be closely watched.
