ILNS: A Delhi court on Monday sent Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu to 14-day judicial custody in a case relating to the Republic Day violence at the Red Fort, which took place after the farmers’ tractor rally on January 26 this year.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gajendra Nagar sent Sidhu to 14-day judicial custody, after he was produced before the court through video-conferencing.

The court also sought response from the police over the bail application filed by Sidhu through his counsels Abhishek Gupta and Jasdeep Dhillon and slated the matter for further hearing on April 26. Earlier, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had reserved his order on the Delhi Police’s custody plea.

During today’s hearing, the CMM asked, “Why do you want his custody?” The Investigating Officer replied, “We want to identify the other conspirators, who were with him. We also want to question him over his videos with Jugraj Singh, the man who hoisted the flag on Republic Day.”

Advocate Abhishek Gupta, appearing for Sidhu, took the court through the facts of the case and the bail order and said that even one-day incarceration “would now be violative of his fundamental rights”.

The court pointed out that Sidhu has already got bail in another case – as of FIR 96/2021 – and this is a different case. To this advocate Gupta said, “The allegations in both the cases are identical. They are playing fraud with the criminal jurisprudence; they want to negate the order of bail. If they say that both the FIRs are same, why didn’t they approach the High Court for quashing of one of the FIR?”

A Delhi Court on Saturday granted bail to Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu in the case relating to the violence that took place at Red Fort on January 26 during the farmers’ tractor rally against the Centre’s three farm laws.

Additional Sessions Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen granted bail to Sidhu and directed him to furnish a bail bond of Rs. 30,000 and two sureties of like amount.

“The accused-applicant as per the own case of the prosecution is a well known public figure with deep roots in society and such apprehensions are capable of being allayed by imposing stricter conditions,”

-the court said.

“Investigation is in progress and the identity of the other offenders is in the process of being established derived largely from scrutiny and scanning of video footage available on social media platforms and CCTV recordings and for the purposes the investigating agency has already availed of 14 days police custody of the accused,”

-the court said.

The Court has also directed Sidhu to not influence, threaten, intimidate witnesses or tamper with evidence in any manner whatsoever.

Earlier on Monday, a Delhi court reserved its order on the bail application of Deep Sidhu.

Sidhu was arrested on February 9 under Sections 25, 27, 54, 59 of the Arms Act and Section 3 of the Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act in connection with the Republic Day tractor rally violence.

As per the prosecution, Sidhu was the main conspirator behind the Republic Day violence at Red Fort. Refering to the series of interviews given by Sidhu, the prosecution said that his intention was to create violence and disregard the national flag. Seeking bail in the matter, Sidhu argued that his implication was a classic case of trial by media and that he was just a peaceful protestor exercising his fundamental right.

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As per Sidhu, he was not even present at the Red Fort when the violence took place. He maintained that he had not called for any tractor rally and that there was nothing on record to show that he indulged in violence or instigated it. Sidhu also denied the prosecution’s allegation that he instigated Jugraj Singh to hoist the Nishan Sahib flag at Red Fort.

Sidhu argued that he did not even know Jugraj Singh and that whether hoisting of the Nishan Sahib flag was a criminal offence was itself a matter of debate. Sidhu also said that chanting religious slogans was not a criminal offence, and did not incite violence.

Delhi Court on Tuesday extends Police Custody Remand of Actor Deep Sidhu by another Seven-Days in connection with a case of alleged violence at the Red Fort on Republic Day, during the Farmers Tractor Rally. 

He was produced before Duty Magistrate earlier today.

Delhi Police previously had informed the Court that “More than 140 police personnel were injured during the violence that day, one of the men from CISF was hit with a sword on his face by the rioters.”

It was further told by the Police, Sidhu was one of the “main rioter” and “instigator” and has also led the mob at Red Fort along with his accomplice Jugraj Singh, the man who hoisted a flag at Red Fort.

The mob after Sidhu’s instigation turned violent as a result of which many were injured and public property was damaged, the police said. 

The protesters were armed with lathis, flags, swords etc and they also tried to steal the weapons of the security personnel, the police submitted. 

On February 9, 2021, the Court sent him to Seven-Days Police Custody remand. Siddhu was arrested by the South Western Range (SWR) of the Special Cell and the police has alleged that Sidhu was a prominent player behind Republic Day violence and accused of instigating youngsters with his provocative speeches and stardom.

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The Delhi Police had named Sidhu and gangster Lakka Sadana in an FIR lodged in connection with the Red Fort incident. 

According to the FIR, he was present at the Red Fort when a religious flag and a farmer flag were put at the flagpole at the historic monument, triggering massive outrage. Over 500 police personnel were injured and one protester died, the police said. 

A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to a man who was arrested by the Delhi Police on account of rioting and being part of an unlawful assembly that had allegedly beaten policemen and damaged public property on Republic Day farmer’s tractor rally.

Dwarka Additional Sessions Judge Dheeraj Mor noted in his order as per the report of the Investigation Officer, which is completely silent on his (accused) role about previous criminal involvement, this court has no reason to doubt that accused has clear antecedents.

“He is no more required for the investigation of this case. In the aforesaid circumstances, no fruitful purpose will be served by further curtailing the liberty of the accused,”

-said the Court while admitting his application for grant of bail.

The Court has directed to release the accused on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety in the like amount.

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The Court was hearing the bail application filed by a man who was arrested on January 26, 2021 during the farmer’s tractor rally. Police had alleged that the said rally was diverted from its route and it turned into an unlawful assembly. Its members including the accused committed rioting, caused injuries to 9 police personnel and damaged public property.

The counsel for the accused submitted that he has been falsely implicated in this case. He said he was just a bystander at the spot of occurrence.

He was neither part of the unlawful assembly nor he was involved in the riots, the Counsel said. The Counsel had further submitted that he has a shop of iron rods at Kakrola, Dwarka Mor, New Delhi and he was not part of any agitation.

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The counsel for the state vehemently opposed the bail application. She submitted that the accused was part of unlawful assembly that committed riots and caused injuries to nine police personnel. She had further submitted that the members of the said unlawful assembly also damaged the public property including the cluster buses.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a probe by a judicial inquiry commission into the Republic Day violence during farmers’ tractor rally in the capital. The Court granted liberty to withdraw and approach the ministry.

The bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian heard the PIL seeking directions to set up an Inquiry Commission under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge to look into the entire aspect of clash between farmers and Delhi Police on January 26, 2021, during the farmers’ tractor rally.

While hearing, the CJI pointed out that the Prime Minister in his statement has said the law will take its own course, so the government is investigating it. “We are sure the government is inquiring into it and taking appropriate action,” CJI Bobde told the petitioner.

The petitioner in person, Advocate Vishal Tiwari, submitted that the incident took place in Delhi on Republic Day has brought very serious consequences for the public. “On 25th, farmers’ protest was peaceful but on 26th it turned violent,” he said. Tiwari urged the court that the investigation should not be one-sided and the statement of the other side should also be recorded. To this, the CJI Bobde replied obviously what does an investigation mean. Both sides will be investigated.

He submitted that due to this incident, internet services have also been interrupted and shut down due to which many professionals and particularly Advocates are facing hardships.

The plea stated the question for consideration in national security and public interest arises that who is responsible for creating the disturbance and how and who turned the peaceful farmer protest into violent movement or how and who created the circumstances which let the protest turn violent?

Tiwari had stated in the plea,

“All aspects are to be inquired and looked upon. The blame is on both sides and the matter is to be inquired by an independent agency i.e by setting up an inquiry commission under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge.”

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The petitioner alleged that there may be some conspiracy to cause disturbance and to damage the peaceful protest by some notorious forces or organizations and create a clash between police and protesting farmers. Or it was due to the lapses (maybe deliberate) from the side of police to create such circumstances in which disturbances will definitely occur.

The Supreme Court has been moved by a petitioner seeking a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the tractor rally violence. The plea sought criminal action against the miscreants.

The Supreme Court denied interim protection from arrest to the makers of Tandav. 
The Supreme Court has stayed the Bombay High Court order on a minor’s assault. 

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