Shows government’s intolerance, state of judiciary: Sibal on court denying bail to two ex-TISS students
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal criticized a Mumbai court's decision to deny anticipatory bail to two former TISS students accused of holding an unauthorized gathering. The court cited concerns over the students' conduct and slogans used during the event.
Why it matters
The case touches on the intersection of freedom of speech, judicial discretion, and government intolerance in academic settings.
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.
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. 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.
In a post on X, Mr. Sibal said, "Ex-TISS Students. Shame that they were: denied anticipatory bail. Allegedly: Raised slogans seeking release of Umar Khalid & Sharjeel Imam [In jail since 2020]."
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