The Centre told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday that the investigation into the violence on the Jamia Millia Islamia campus on December 15 during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act was at a crucial stage, PTI reported. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the government, asked a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar for more time to submit a report on the investigation.

Taking note of the submission, the court gave the government until April 29 to file a reply.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for some students of the university, said 93 teachers and students have alleged that they were attacked, but no first information report has been filed in the case so far.

The court was hearing six petitions, moved by lawyers, students of Jamia Millia Islamia, residents of the area where the university is located, and the imam of Jama Masjid Ahmed Bukhari. The petition sought an interim order to the government to file a response. The petitioners said that the government has not complied with the High Court’s order on December 19 to respond within a month in the matter.

The plea also sought action against the police officers who used force against the students. It sought compensation and medical treatment for the injured students.

Advocate Rizwan, who filed one of the petitions, said that according to medical reports of the students admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences following the attack, one student almost lost his life and another lost his eyesight. The petition had alleged that treatment provided to the injured students was inadequate, that the police used disproportionate and “brutal” force against the students, and that cases have been filed against them and they are being hounded like “criminals”.

However, the Delhi High Court refused to pass any interim order. The court had on December 19 asked the Centre, the Aam Aadmi Party government and the police to respond to several public interest litigations seeking setting up of a judicial commission to look into the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia.

66 anti-CAA protests in Delhi so far: Centre

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that incidents of violence, unlawful gathering, stone pelting and damage to public and personal property were reported in Delhi during the protests against the new citizenship law. Rai said that according to the Delhi Police, 66 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act rallies have been organised in the national capital so far, 11 cases have been registered and 99 people arrested.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy told the Lok Sabha that 51 people were injured in the violence on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on January 5. He said the Delhi Police had registered a case at the Vasant Kunj Police Station on January 6.

On January 5, a masked mob, allegedly comprising members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, barged into the campus and attacked students and teachers with sticks. At least 34 students and teachers were injured in the violence.