‘I don’t have any criminal history… want to know why notice was issued’: Gautam Buddha University student from Jantar Mantar protest

Akshat Tripathi, a 20‑year‑old second‑year BA LLB student at Gautam Buddha University in Noida, said he received a notice on September 4 demanding a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh to maintain public order. The notice, issued under Sections 126 and 135 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), summoned him to appear in Surajpur, Greater Noida, the following day. Tripathi contested the notice, arguing that he had no criminal record, had not been on campus since May 25, and was interning at the Allahabad High Court during July.

The notice arrived via WhatsApp at 8 p.m. on September 4, and Tripathi replied on September 5, stating that the allegations were unsubstantiated and that he had not been provided with any verifiable basis. He filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court, claiming a violation of his right to be informed of the material against him. The Noida police later confirmed that the notice was cancelled on September 5 after senior officials reviewed the case, and that departmental action against the officials who issued the notice had been initiated. The police clarified that the Gautam Buddha Nagar District Magistrate was not involved, as the notice originated from the Office of Magistrate III under the commissionerate system.

The controversy stems from the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, during which Tripathi and about 15 others traveled from Allahabad to Delhi and faced a lathi charge that left him injured. He returned to Noida in early September, just as offline classes resumed on September 7 after a month of online sessions. The incident highlights the use of preventive provisions in the BNSS to curb dissent and raises questions about procedural fairness in issuing peace bonds to students involved in political demonstrations.