Farmers Movement Archive

Red Fort violence: Court reserves order on actor-activist Deep Sidhu’s bail plea

A Delhi court Monday reserved its order on the bail application of actor-activist Deep Sidhu, arrested in connection with the Red Fort violence on the Republic Day. Special judge Neelofer Abida Perveen said the order on Sidhu’s bail plea will be pronounced on April 15. Sidhu’s counsel told the court that mere presence did not make him part of unlawful assembly and that he was an honest citizen who was part of a protest. The public prosecutor representing the Delhi Police claimed that Sidhu participated in the protest with the intention to create violence and disregard the national flag and that he was the main instigator of unlawful assembly. Sidhu was arrested on February 9 in connection with the Red Fort violence on the Republic Day during farmers’ tractor parade against the Centre’s three new agri laws. The prosecutor opposed the bail application, claiming that if released, Sidhu will destroy the evidence as he destroyed two phones before he was apprehended. He told the court that before January 25, Sidhu gave interview to media wherein he said “26th (January) is coming..more and more people should come.” The prosecutor read out the transcripts of an interview that Sidhu had given to a news channel and claimed that he admitted in this interview that he broke the barricade. He further quoted from the interview where Sidhu had allegedly claimed to have broken barricades in Punjab on November 26. He claimed that in Sidhu’s presence national flag was disrespected and that he did not try to stop it. The prosecutor claimed that Sidhu was very well aware in advance that protesters at Singhu border will not follow the route. “There was no intention to follow the route. There was a planning to defame our country. They disregarded our national flag. When police tried to stop, they were attacked by mob brutally...more than 144 police personnel received injuries,” the prosecutor said. The investigating officer (IO) added that “There was one lakh reward on him. Police caught him. He was absconding. His role is different from the ones on bail. There can be no parity.” Sidhu’s counsel opposed police’s arguments, saying that the accused was talking about unity in protest. PTI

Hindustan Times

13-04-2021

Chandigarh