Additional Session Judge Charu Aggarwal will hear the bail application of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu in the Red Fort violence case tomorrow.
Earlier on Wednesday, a city court transferred the bail application filed by Sidhu over a jurisdictional issue cropped up as the matter came up for hearing. Additional Sessions Judge Deepak Dabas transferred the matter to District and Sessions Judge (Headquarters) to decide who will hear the matter. Tis Hazari Court District Judge Girish Kathpalia transferred Sidhu’s application to ASJ Aggarwal, who has given bail to other co-accused in the case.
Noting that bail applications of the co-accused have been heard by other courts, Dabas had said, “The said bail application be listed before the same court to avoid confusion. The matter shall be listed today at 2 pm before the District and Sessions Judge (HQ) for further directions.”
The court has also asked the Delhi Police to respond to the bail application filed by Sidhu at the earliest.
This was after the Investigation Officer from the Crime Branch apprised the court that seven co-accused persons have been granted bail by ASJ Charu Aggarwal.
Appearing for Sidhu, Advocate Abhishek Gupta told the court that his client was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“This is a media trial going on. If I tell you the facts, you will be shocked,” he said.
Gupta also submitted that there are other orders by ASJ Charu Aggarwal, giving bails to other co accused persons, which will prove that Sidhu’s role in the entire case was “lesser”.
“We have earlier moved an application under Section 156(3) of CrPC before other Magistrate. There is a benefit to your lordships that orders as regards to other accused show that my role is lesser,” Gupta submitted.
Sidhu was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell on February 9 for his alleged involvement in January 26 violence in Delhi after which was he was sent to seven-day police custody the same day.
Currently, he is undergoing judicial custody.
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An FIR was registered against Deep Sidhu by the Crime Branch (Central Delhi) of the Delhi Police in connection with the violence that broke out at Red Fort on Republic Day under Sections 147, 148, 149, 152, 186, 353, 332, 307, 308, 395, 397, 427 and 188 of the IPC read with Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act, 1959 and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984. Sidhu has been accused of instigating violence as being the alleged “main instigator” in the case.